Developing and Validating fMRI Software to Map Brain Function and Blood Flow Changes in Brain Tumor Surgery Patients

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a new clinical fMRI software designed to map critical brain functional networks and cerebrovascular reactivity in patients with brain tumors. The goal is to improve presurgical planning by integrating resting-state fMRI rs-fMRI, task-based fMRI tb-fMRI, and cerebrovascular reactivity CVR mapping. This observational study aims to validate the accuracy of rs-fMRI compared to tb-fMRI using intra-operative direct cortical stimulation as the gold standard, and to test whether CVR mapping enhances confidence in identifying important brain areas. The study involves developing and optimizing software to map resting-state networks and CVR, then testing its use in patients undergoing neurosurgical tumor removal. The research includes retrospective review of prior clinical presurgical fMRI studies and a prospective phase where patients will have presurgical fMRI and direct cortical stimulation as part of their standard care. The software development will be done in partnership with a commercial MRI software producer to create robust clinical tools. Participants will undergo presurgical fMRI scans, including resting-state and task-based imaging, as part of their usual care, followed by direct cortical stimulation during surgery. Researchers will analyze these imaging data to validate the softwares mapping accuracy. The primary outcome is to confirm the ability of rs-fMRI to identify language and motor areas reliably. The study will continue through to completion, averaging about one year per participant, with no investigational treatments given, focusing on imaging and surgical assessments.

A Comprehensive Clinical fMRI Software Solution to Enable Mapping of Critical Functional Networks and Cerebrovascular Reactivity in the Brain