Microstructural Injury to Perisylvian White Matter Predicts Language Decline after Brain Radiotherapy [RT]: Quantitative Analysis of a Prospective Trial

Perisylvian white matter [WM] is involved in language functioning. Impairments in expressive and receptive language are common in brain tumor patients. We hypothesized that changes in volume and diffusion biomarkers, reflecting WM injury, within perisylvian WM would predict for language decline after brain RT. On a prospective trial, 41 patients with primary brain tumors underwent high resolution volumetric brain MRI, diffusion weighted imaging,...