Brain Imaging in Pediatric Cancer Survivors: Correlates of Cognitive Impairment
Shelli R. Kesler, Charlotte Sleurs, Brenna C. McDonald, Sabine Deprez, Ellen van der Plas, Brian J. Nieman
Abstract
Pediatric cancer and its treatment are associated with increased risk for acute and chronic cognitive impairments. Neuroimaging studies indicate a common biologic pathway of candidate mechanisms underlying these impairments is diffuse brain injury (see the work of Sleurs et al for review). Brain injury is frequently assessed using neuroimaging biomarkers, which improve understanding of neurologic and psychiatric pathologies beyond current diagnostic boundaries, provide unique insights regarding cognitive changes, and specify therapeutic targets for these changes. Neuroimaging metrics can also serve as biologic outcome measures for interventions by quantifying treatment impacts on previously identified neural dysfunctions, which may guide treatment refinement. Moreover, neuroimaging outcomes may be superior to behavioral and other metrics for predicting future cognitive outcomes.