Magnetic resonance imaging in assessment of treatment response of gamma knife for brain tumors

Objective To review the applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in assessing treatmentresponse to gamma knife radiosurgery for brain tumors.Data sources Published articles about assessing treatment response to gamma knife radiosurgery for brain tumorswere selected using PubMed.The search terms were "MRI","gamma knife" and "brain tumors".Study selection Articles regarding the MRI techniques using for early assessment of treatment response of gammaknife were selected.Results MRI techniques,especially diffusion weighted imaging,perfusion weighted imaging,magnetic resonancespectroscopy,are useful for early assessment of treatment response of gamma knife by detecting the hemodynamic,metabolic,and cellular alterations.Moreover,they can also provide important information on prognosis.Conclusions Diffusion weighted imaging,perfusion weighted imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy canprovide early assessment of treatment response of gamma knife for brain tumors,and also information of tumorprogression or recurrence earlier than conventional MRI.But there are still many questions to be answered which shouldbe based on the development and advancement of MRI and related disciplines.