Decreased Hand Motor Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Patients with Glioma: Analysis of Factors including Neurovascular Uncoupling

Radiology. 2020 Mar;294(3):610-621. doi: 10.1148/radiol.2019190089. Epub 2020 Jan 14.

Abstract

Background Resting-state functional MRI holds substantial potential for clinical application, but limitations exist in current understanding of how tumors exert local effects on resting-state functional MRI readings. Purpose To investigate the association between tumors, tumor characteristics, and changes in resting-state connectivity, to explore neurovascular uncoupling as a mechanism underlying these changes, and to evaluate seeding methodologies as a clinical tool. Materials and Methods Institutional review board approval was obtained for this HIPAA-compliant observational retrospective study of patients with glioma who underwent MRI and resting-state functional MRI between January 2016 and July 2017. Interhemispheric symmetry of connectivity was assessed in the hand motor region, incorporating tumor position, perfusion, grade, and connectivity generated from seed-based correlation. Statistical analysis was performed by using one-tailed t tests, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and Spearman rank correlation, with significance at P < .05. Results Data in a total of 45 patients with glioma (mean age, 51.3 years ± 14.3 [standard deviation]) were compared with those in 10 healthy control subjects (mean age, 50.3 years ± 17.2). Patients showed loss of symmetry in measures of hand motor resting-state connectivity compared with control subjects (P < .05). Tumor distance from the ipsilateral hand motor (IHM) region correlated with the degree (R = 0.38, P = .01) and strength (R = 0.33, P = .03) of resting-state connectivity. In patients with World Health Organization grade IV glioblastomas 40 mm or less from the IHM region, loss of symmetry in strength of resting-state connectivity was correlated with tumor perfusion (R = 0.74, P < .01). In patients with gliomas 40 mm or less from the IHM region, seeding the nontumor hemisphere yielded less asymmetric hand motor resting-state connectivity than seeding the tumor hemisphere (connectivity seeded:contralateral = 1.34 nontumor vs 1.38 tumor hemisphere seeded; P = .03, false discovery rate threshold = 0.01). Conclusion Hand motor resting-state connectivity was less symmetrical in a tumor distance-dependent manner in patients with glioma. Differences in resting-state connectivity may be false-negative results driven by a neurovascular uncoupling mechanism. Seeding from the nontumor hemisphere may attenuate asymmetry in patients with tumors near ipsilateral hand motor cortices. © RSNA, 2020 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Female
  • Glioma / diagnostic imaging
  • Glioma / pathology
  • Glioma / physiopathology*
  • Hand / innervation*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Motor Cortex / diagnostic imaging
  • Motor Cortex / physiology*
  • Nerve Net / diagnostic imaging
  • Nerve Net / physiology*
  • Rest / physiology
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Young Adult