New Enhancement beyond Radiation Field Improves Survival Prediction in Patients with Post-Treatment High-Grade Glioma

The imaging signs which can accurately predict survival prognosis after standard treatment of high-grade glioma (HGG) are highly desirable. This study aims to explore the role of new enhancement beyond radiation field (NERF) in the survival prediction in patients with post-treatment HGG. The present study included 142 pathologically confirmed HGG patients who had received standard treatment. NERF, as well as other conventional MR findings and clinical variables, were included in univariate and multivariate analyses for evaluating their impactions on progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Univariate analysis showed that histological grade (p=0.008) and NERF (p=0.001) were the prognostic variables for poor PFS, whereas histological grade (p=0.017), NERF (p=0.001), and new subventricular zone enhancement (nSVZE) (p=0.001) were prognostic variables for poor OS. The multivariate analysis showed that NERF (HR 3.93; 95% CI 1.93–8.01; p=0.001) and nSVZE (HR 3.92; 95% CI 1.95–7.89; p=0.001) were the prognostic variables for poor OS. However, only nSVZE was (HR 3.29; 95% CI 2.04–5.28; p=0.001) the prognostic variable for poor PFS. When combining the NERF with the clinical and other MR variables, the highest AUC (0.924) and specificity (0.899) for predicting poor OS were achieved. The location of new developed enhancements relevant to high dose radiation field appears to be the main determinant of their prognostic value. Our results suggest that the new enhancement beyond radiation field can improve the survival prediction in patients with HGG after standard treatment.