Non-invasive detection of EGFRvIII mutations in Glioblastoma using MRI

Technology Overview:

GBM has a highly variable molecular, spatial and temporal fingerprint making analysis difficult. Current methods require tissue biopsies which fail to capture the heterogeneity of GBM, and damage healthy tissue.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cell growth regulator, is mutated and/or overexpressed in most intractable GBM cases. The EGFRvIII mutation is expressed only in cancer tissue. Detecting EGFRvIII is valuable for diagnosing and determining treatment options; however, invasive procedures are required and consistent follow-ups are nearly impossible. An accurate, reproducible, non-invasive method for diagnosis of GBM with EGFRvIII mutation is needed.

The inventors have developed a non-invasive imaging marker of EGFRvIII by using dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI (DSC-MRI) and advanced statistical procedures, where the spatial and temporal location of EGFRvIII can be accurately determined by patients’ MRI phenotype. This resolves the need of repeated biopsies and provides useful preoperative information on the mutation status as well as the means for potential continuous non-invasive monitoring of the mutation during and after therapy.

Black hatch marks (right) indicate representative highest EGFRvIII expression.

Advantages:

Useful in pre-operative evaluation, enabling decisions on aggressiveness of treatment
Robust, non-invasive and easy to preform test
Enable post-operative monitoring of EGFRvIII expressing regions over time

Application: