title: Value of serial magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of brain metastases volume control during stereotactic radiosurgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate brain metastases volume control capabilities of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) through serial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  MR examinations of 54 brain metastases in 31 patients before and after SRS were reviewed. Patients were included in this study if they had a pre-treatment MR examination and serial follow-up MR examinations at 6 wk, 9 wk, 12 wk, and 12 mo after SRS. The metastasis volume change was categorized at each follow-up as increased (> 20% of the initial volume), stable (± 20% of the initial volume) or decreased (< 20% of the initial volume).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A local tumor control with a significant (P< 0.05) volume decrease was observed in 25 metastases at 6-wk follow-up. Not significant volume change was observed in 23 metastases and a significant volume increase was observed in 6 metastases. At 9-wk follow-up, 15 out of 25 metastases that decreased in size at 6 wk had a transient tumor volume increase, followed by tumor regression at 12 wk. At 12-wk follow-up there was a significant reduction in volume in 45 metastases, and a significant volume increase in 4 metastases. At 12-mo follow-up, 19 metastases increased significantly in size (up to 41% of the initial volume). Volume tumor reduction was correlated to histopathologic subtype.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SRS provided an effective local brain metastases volume control that was demonstrated at follow-up MR imaging.
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianvincenzo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sparacia
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agnello
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Aurelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banco
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bencivinni
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Anastasi
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Adele
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taibbi
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galia
authors.affiliation: Gianvincenzo Sparacia, Francesco Agnello, Aurelia Banco, Francesco Bencivinni, Andrea Anastasi, Giovanna Giordano, Adele Taibbi, Massimo Galia, Tommaso Vincenzo Bartolotta, Department of Radiology, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Tommaso Vincenzo
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Bartolotta
keywords: Brain metastases; Magnetic resonance imaging; Pseudo-progression; Radiation therapy; Stereotactic radiosurgery