Quantitative sodium MR imaging and sodium bioscales for the management of brain tumors.

Treatment of high-grade primary brain tumors is based on experience from multicenter trials. However, the prognosis has changed little in 3 decades. This suggests that there is a fundamental oversight in treatment. This article provides an imaging perspective of how regional responses of primary brain tumors may be examined to guide a flexible treatment plan. Sodium imaging provides a measurement of cell density that can be used to measure regional cell kill. Such a bioscales of regionally and temporally sensitive biologic-based parameters may be helpful to guide tumor treatment. These suggestions are speculative and still being examined, but are presented to challenge the medical community to be receptive to changes in the standard of care when that standard continues to fail.