Peritumoral brain edema volume in meningioma correlates with tumor fractional anisotropy but not apparent diffusion coefficient or cerebral blood volume

Purpose: Pathogenesis of peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) in meningiomas remains unclear. Associations between PTBE volume and diffusion or perfusion properties of meningioma have not been studied. We aimed to investigate if diffusion and perfusion properties of meningioma correlate with its PTBE volume. Methods: Seventy consecutive patients (mean age, 58.9 ± 13.7 years; 37 women) with meningiomas who had preoperative DTI and DSC-PWI were retrospectively analyzed. PTBE volume, tumor volume, and mean T2 signal, ADC, FA, and CBV of the tumor were measured. Between meningiomas with and without PTBE, patient age and sex, as well as T2 signal intensity, volume, ADC, FA, and CBV of tumors, were compared. In meningiomas with PTBE, correlations of PTBE volume with patient age and sex, as well as T2 signal intensity, volume, ADC, FA, and CBV of tumors, were analyzed. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with PTBE volume. Results: On univariable analysis, meningiomas without PTBE were more frequently found in women (P = 0.033) and demonstrated lower ADC (P = 0.020), higher FA (P < 0.001), and lower CBV (P < 0.001). PTBE volume of meningiomas correlated with tumor ADC (r = 0.444; P = 0.001), tumor FA (r = − 0.655; P < 0.001), and tumor CBV (r = 0.402; P = 0.003). On multivariable analysis, tumor FA was the only factor associated with PTBE volume (P < 0.001). Conclusion: PTBE volume in meningioma correlates with tumor FA. DTI may help to understand the mechanism of PTBE in meningiomas.