Birgit Betina Ertl-Wagner MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Jeffrey Blume, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Donald Peck PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jayaram K. Udupa PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Ilona Maria Schmalfuss MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Benjamin A. Herman MS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Anthony Levering, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Sharlene Snowdon, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Reliable assessment of tumor growth in patients with malignant glioma poses a common problem both clinically and for assessing the response to novel therapeutic agents. The primary aim of this retrospective multi-reader study was to evaluate two software systems in their usage and in their reliability to estimate volumes of tumor and / or edema on MR studies of patients with malignant glioma.

Twenty patients with histology-proven malignant glioma (WHO grade III and IV) from the ACRIN 6662 Trial were included in this study. MR images performed at two respective time points were assessed with the software systems Eigentool and 3DVIEWNIX-TV by 16 independent readers grouped by levels of professional expertise (8 MR-certified technologists, 4 neuroradiology fellow, 4 staff neuroradiologists). Tumors were balanced for magnitude of volume change and complexity by an independent consensus panel. The following parameters were assessed separately: enhancing tumor volume, tumor volume plus edema and changes in the respective tumor volumes over time with each software system. Time to train each reader and time to estimate the respective tumor volume were recorded. The inter-rater reliability with the respective systems and with manual measurements are currently being analyzed and will be communicated during the presentation.

The mean time to train was 138.6 +/- 49.6 minutes for eigentool and 126.7 +/- 46.5 minutes for 3DVIEWNIX-TV. The mean time to estimate volume of enhancing tumor and tumor plus edema was 16.8 +/- 32.19 minutes for eigentool and 15.4 +/- 15.5 minutes for 3DVIEWNIX-TV. The operating time was significantly higher with increasing radiological expertise level for Eigentool (p < 0.05), but not for 3DVIEWNIX-TV.

The time to train and the time to create the respective volumes are within reasonable limits for applications in both clinical routine and study settings for both software platforms.

Ertl-Wagner, B, Blume, J, Peck, D, Udupa, J, Schmalfuss, I, Herman, B, Levering, A, Snowdon, S, et al, , Results from the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) 6662 Trial: Estimating Volumes of Enhancing Brain Tumor and Tumor Plus Edema from MR Images in Patients with Malignant Glioma—Work-in-Progress.  Radiological Society of North America 2004 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 28 - December 3, 2004 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2004/4403486.html