Connectome-guided network planning for brain tumor surgery in eloquent areas
Official title: Connectome-guided Onco-functional Resection With Tractography-Extended Neuronavigation in Brain Tumor Surgery Involving Eloquent Regions: a Prospective Single-centre Cohort Study Integrating Advanced Diffusion MRI Into Clinical Neuronavigation for Gliomas and Metastases
Run by ARNAS Civico Di Cristina Benfratelli Hospital · NCT07717827 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether using patient-specific brain network maps from diffusion MRI can help surgeons plan and guide brain tumor removal in eloquent areas.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 400 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | ARNAS Civico Di Cristina Benfratelli Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Palermo, PA) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 1, 2022 |
| Main results expected | December 2026 |
| Study ends | December 2027 |
| Registry record updated | July 21, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07717827 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults with glioma or brain metastasis requiring surgery near eloquent cortical or subcortical networks, with suitable MRI data and consent.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients whose tumors are not near critical networks or whose MRI data are inadequate may not benefit from network-guided planning.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This prospective, single-center cohort study uses advanced diffusion MRI processing to create personalized maps of white matter pathways and brain networks. These maps are loaded into neuronavigation to influence preoperative planning and intraoperative decisions for gliomas or brain metastases in eloquent regions. The goal is to see how often network information changes surgical plans or execution compared with standard anatomy-based approaches. Eligible patients undergo supratentorial tumor surgery and receive standardized pre- and post-operative MRI and follow-up. The study emphasizes the extended eloquence concept, accounting for distributed networks beyond classical eloquent cortex.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience safer resections with better preservation of neurological function by avoiding critical network disruption.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work supports the feasibility of diffusion MRI tractography and connectome-informed planning, but evidence of widespread clinical impact remains evolving.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Indication for supratentorial brain tumor surgery (glioma or metastasis) * Lesion located within or adjacent to eloquent cortical or subcortical regions (motor, language, visual, or higher-order associative networks, as defined by clinical and neuroimaging criteria) * Availability of standardized preoperative and early postoperative brain MRI (including high-direction diffusion tensor imaging, ≥64 directions) * Consistent postoperative clinical follow-up planned at the treating centre * Provision of informed consent for use of anonymized clinical and imaging data Exclusion Criteria: * Inability to undergo pre- or postoperative MRI * Significant comorbidities precluding surgery * Incomplete imaging or clinical data * Purely infratentorial lesions or non-tumoral pathologies
Where it's running
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Unit of Neurosurgery - A.R.N.A.S. Civico Di Cristina Benfratelli - 90127, Palermo - Italy
Palermo, PA, Italy Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Giovanni Tringali, M.D. — Unit of Neurosurgery - A.R.N.A.S. Civico Di Cristina Benfratelli - 90127, Palermo - Italy
- Study coordinator: Giovanni Tringali, M.D.
- Email: giovanni.tringali@arnascivico.it
- Phone: +390916661111
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.