Better telling apart tumor growth from treatment effects in Glioblastoma

Quantitative imaging phenotypic classifier for distinguishing radiation effects from tumor recurrence in Glioblastoma

NIH-funded research University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-10925209

This project aims to create a new way to tell if changes on an MRI scan for Glioblastoma patients are new tumor growth or harmless side effects from radiation treatment.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Madison, United States)
Project IDNIH-10925209 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

After receiving treatment for Glioblastoma, many patients show suspicious spots on their follow-up MRI scans. It's very hard to tell if these spots are the cancer coming back or just harmless changes from radiation therapy. Currently, patients often need a brain biopsy, which is invasive and not always accurate, to find out. This project is developing a special computer tool that uses regular MRI scans to help doctors make a more accurate diagnosis without needing a biopsy.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients who have been treated for Glioblastoma and have suspicious lesions on their follow-up MRI scans would be ideal candidates for this type of diagnostic improvement.

Not a fit: Patients who have not received radiation therapy for Glioblastoma or do not have suspicious lesions on their MRI scans would not directly benefit from this specific diagnostic tool.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could help Glioblastoma patients avoid unnecessary and risky brain biopsies by providing a clearer diagnosis from their MRI scans.

How similar studies have performed: The research team has already developed an initial version of this tool, called IRRisC, which has shown 85% accuracy in distinguishing tumor recurrence from radiation effects in a preliminary set of 58 patient studies.

Where this research is happening

Madison, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.