Generously funded by Donors of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada

Garnette Sutherland – University of Calgary – Calgary, Alta.

Project title: “Artificial intelligence for early diagnosis and prognostication for meningioma”

Description of project:

Meningioma is the most common primary brain tumour in adults. Although a large percentage are classified as benign, the more aggressive types of meningioma impose a significant morbidity and mortality burden on patients. Molecular analyses of these tumours help with accurate prognostication, however, performing molecular analysis is costly and difficult for resource-challenged centers, even in developed nations. A tool to identify the meningiomas’ genetics and aggressiveness before surgery can help in surgical planning and post-operative management for better patient-specific treatment strategies. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers great promise for this purpose. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contains a plethora of pixel data that is invisible to the naked eye, AI algorithms can rapidly process and decipher thousands of image pixels.

What receiving this award means:

The support by Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada will be a catalyst towards an online prediction model, built on population-based molecular characterization of meningioma, that includes imaging and patient demography. Built upon a unique dynamic digital database (using a knowledge graph) and custom machine learning algorithms, this tool will provide valuable insight for clinicians, scientists and patients.