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Developing a New Metabolic Imaging Approach (aMRI) for Diagnosing Neurological Disease in Patients with Gliomas

Trial Status: active

This is an observational study to compare the utility of the novel aMRI approach in human brain to the standard of care imaging approach for diagnosing and assessing glioma. Tumor cells have higher metabolic activity than normal cells, meaning they use more glucose (a type of sugar used for energy) than healthy cells. This makes metabolic activity a useful measure for diagnosing and assessing neurological disease. However, current options for metabolic activity imaging are limited. Metabolic activity imaging is primarily conducted using positron emission tomography (PET) with a radioactive tracer called fludeoxyglucose F-18 (18FDG). A PET scan is a procedure in which a small amount of radioactive glucose (18FDG) is injected into a vein, and a scanner is used to make detailed, computerized pictures of areas inside the body where the glucose is taken up. PET imaging is very expensive and is usually much less available than other imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI uses radiofrequency waves and a strong magnetic field to provide amazingly clear and detailed pictures of internal organs and tissues. While MRI is more available than PET, it isn't as useful in evaluating metabolic activity. Unlike standard MRI, the aMRI approach uses new ways of analyzing MRI images that provides information about tumor cell metabolic activity. This clinical trial evaluates the new aMRI method for evaluating metabolic activity and diagnosing neurological disease in patients with gliomas.