Quantitative evaluation of neuroradiological and morphometric alteration of inferior Fronto-Occipital Fascicle across different brain tumor histotype: an Italian multicentric study - Scorecard - MDSpire

Quantitative evaluation of neuroradiological and morphometric alteration of inferior Fronto-Occipital Fascicle across different brain tumor histotype: an Italian multicentric study

  • By

  • Roberto Altieri

  • Andrea Bianconi

  • Stefano Caneva

  • Giovanni Cirillo

  • Fabio Cofano

  • Sergio Corvino

  • Oreste de Divitiis

  • Giuseppe Maria Della Pepa

  • Ciro De Luca

  • Pietro Fiaschi

  • Gianluca Galieri

  • Diego Garbossa

  • Giuseppe La Rocca

  • Salvatore Marino

  • Edoardo Mazzucchi

  • Grazia Menna

  • Antonio Mezzogiorno

  • Alberto Morello

  • Alessandro Olivi

  • Michele Papa

  • Daniela Pacella

  • Rosellina Russo

  • Giovanni Sabatino

  • Giovanna Sepe

  • Assunta Virtuoso

  • Giovanni Vitale

  • Rocco Vitale

  • Gianluigi Zona

  • Manlio Barbarisi

  • March 12, 2025

  • 0 min

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Clinical Scorecard: Assessment of Neuroradiological and Morphometric Changes in the Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus Across Various Brain Tumor Histotypes: A Multicenter Study from Italy

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionBrain tumors affecting the Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus (IFOF)
Key MechanismsTumor growth patterns impact the displacement, infiltration, or compression of the IFOF, affecting neurological function and surgical outcomes
Target PopulationAdult patients (>18 years) with glioblastoma, low-grade glioma, brain metastasis, or meningioma near the IFOF
Care SettingNeurosurgical units with advanced MRI and DTI imaging capabilities for preoperative planning

Key Highlights

  • Shift in neuro-oncological surgery from maximal tumor resection to preserving neurological function and quality of life
  • IFOF is a major white matter tract critical for communication and advanced mentalization, often involved in tumors near its course
  • Multicenter retrospective study analyzing neuroradiological and morphometric changes of the IFOF across different tumor histotypes using advanced MRI and DTI tractography

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • Use contrast-enhanced MRI with T1-weighted, FLAIR, and Diffusion Tensor Imaging sequences for tumor and white matter tract assessment
  • Perform deterministic tractography with ROIs in frontal and occipital lobes to reconstruct the IFOF pathways preoperatively

Management

  • Prioritize preservation of key white matter tracts like the IFOF during surgery to maintain neurological function
  • Consider subtotal resection followed by adjuvant therapies or multiple surgeries to balance oncological control with functional outcomes

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Preoperative neuroradiological evaluation including DTI to assess tumor impact on IFOF
  • Multidisciplinary review involving neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and neuroanatomists for surgical planning

Risks

  • Potential neurological deficits if IFOF integrity is compromised during tumor resection
  • Mass effect symptoms from tumor displacement of fiber bundles, especially in glioblastoma

Patient & Prescribing Data

Adults with intracranial glioblastoma, low-grade glioma, metastasis, or meningioma near the IFOF

Surgical approach tailored based on tumor histotype and growth pattern with emphasis on preserving IFOF to optimize functional outcomes

Clinical Best Practices

  • Thorough understanding of neurofunctional microsurgical anatomy and connectome for safe tumor resection
  • Use of advanced MRI and DTI tractography for detailed preoperative mapping of white matter tracts
  • Multicenter collaboration to standardize imaging protocols and surgical strategies for tumors involving the IFOF

References

Original Source(s)

Quantitative evaluation of neuroradiological and morphometric alteration of inferior Fronto-Occipital Fascicle across different brain tumor histotype: an Italian multicentric study

  • by Roberto Altieri, Andrea Bianconi, Stefano Caneva, Giovanni Cirillo, Fabio Cofano, Sergio Corvino, Oreste de Divitiis, Giuseppe Maria Della Pepa, Ciro De Luca, Pietro Fiaschi, Gianluca Galieri, Diego Garbossa, Giuseppe La Rocca, Salvatore Marino, Edoardo Mazzucchi, Grazia Menna, Antonio Mezzogiorno, Alberto Morello, Alessandro Olivi, Michele Papa, Daniela Pacella, Rosellina Russo, Giovanni Sabatino, Giovanna Sepe, Assunta Virtuoso, Giovanni Vitale, Rocco Vitale, Gianluigi Zona, Manlio Barbarisi

  • March 12, 2025

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