A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment of Radionecrosis in Malignant Gliomas and Cerebral Metastases

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Radionecrosis is a common and rising problem in neuro-oncology. Image interpretation and management of these patients has to be conducted in an interdisciplinary setting in order to offer the best medical care to patients with gliomas or brain metastases. In this article, we provide a state-of-the-art institutional guideline for the current morphological, functional, metabolic and evolving imaging tools to distinguish radionecrosis from tumor recurrence. We also discuss the therapeutic possibilities and give an outlook on future developments to tackle this challenging topic. ABSTRACT: Radiation necrosis represents a potentially devastating complication after radiation therapy in brain tumors. The establishment of the diagnosis and especially the differentiation from progression and pseudoprogression with its therapeutic implications requires interdisciplinary consent and monitoring. Herein, we want to provide an overview of the diagnostic modalities, therapeutic possibilities and an outlook on future developments to tackle this challenging topic. The aim of this report is to provide an overview of the current morphological, functional, metabolic and evolving imaging tools described in the literature in order to (I) identify the best criteria to distinguish radionecrosis from tumor recurrence after the radio-oncological treatment of malignant gliomas and cerebral metastases, (II) analyze the therapeutic possibilities and (III) give an outlook on future developments to tackle this challenging topic. Additionally, we provide the experience of a tertiary tumor center with this important issue in neuro-oncology and provide an institutional pathway dealing with this problem.