Summer Student Research Program

Project Description

FACULTY SPONSOR’S NAME AND DEGREE: Wen-Ching Liu, Ph.D. and Susan Feldman, Ph.D.

PHONE: 973-972-2281 and 973-972 - 4797

DEPARTMENT AND INTERNAL MAILING ADDRESS: Radiology, 150 Bergen street, Newark, NJ

E-MAIL:[email protected], and

PROJECT TITLE (200 Characters max):

Testing of a Physiological Map for Brain Tumor Analysis

HYPOTHESIS:

We have recently developed a new method for imaging brain tumors that is based on the physiological characteristics of the tumor as compared to the surrounding neuronal tissue. This method should allow us to improve our visualization of the tumor and to identify metasteses.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION (Include design, methodology, data collection, techniques, data analysis to be employed and evaluation and interpretation methodology)

The proposed study is a retrospective analysis of fMRI scans from 50 patients with various brain tumors. The data is primarily from patients we scanned previously; any new patients will also be included.

For the study the functional MRI maps are scanned using correlation analysis…a mathematical treatment of the scans that allows us to identify tissue that is closely related. We will compare the size and distribution of these images with those obtained from the traditional MRI scans. This will allow us to determine if this new approach yields better identification of the tumor and its boundaries.

If this technique is successful, it should provide a relatively fast method for analyzing the brain tumor and alerting the neurosurgeon to any metasteses.

SPONSOR’S MOST RECENT PUBLICATIONS RELEVANT TO THIS RESEARCH:

Liu WC, Feldman SC, Schulder M, Kalnin AJ, Holodny AI, Zimmerman A, Sinensky R, Rao S.

The effect of tumour type and distance on activation in the motor cortex. Neuroradiology. 2005 Nov;47(11):813-9. Epub 2005 Sep 2.

Holodny AI, Schulder M, Ybasco A, Liu WC.

Translocation of Broca's area to the contralateral hemisphere as the result of the growth of a left inferior frontal glioma.

J Comput Assist Tomogr. 2002 Nov-Dec;26(6):941-3.

IS THIS PROJECT SUPPORTED BY EXTRAMURAL FUNDS?

Yes or No

(IF YES, PLEASE SUPPLY THE GRANTING AGENCY’S NAME)

THIS PROJECT IS: Clinical Laboratory Behavioral Other

THIS PROJECT IS CANCER-RELATED

Please explain Cancer relevance

This is a study of patients whose brain tumors, either malignant or benign, will be operated upon. We will include metabolic spectrum analysis (MRS) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to correlate the tumor signal with other parameters of the functional image and the histologic findings.

THIS PROJECT IS HEART, LUNG & BLOOD- RELATED

Please explain Heart, Lung, Blood relevance

THIS PROJECT EMPLOYS RADIOISOTOPES

THIS PROJECT INVOLVES THE USE OF ANIMALS

PENDING APPROVED IACUC PROTOCOL #

THIS PROJECT INVOLVES THE USE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS

PENDING APPROVED IRB PROTOCOL # 120050

THIS PROJECT IS SUITABLE FOR:

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS ENTERING FRESHMAN

SOPHMORES ALL STUDENTS

THIS PROJECT IS WORK-STUDY: Yes or No

WHAT WILL THE STUDENT LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE?

1)  knowledge of brain anatomy and brain tumors

2)  how to detect brain tumors using MRI

3)  the application of mathematical analyses to conventional MRI images