An ICA-based approach to study altered resting state functional networks in brain tumors

Brain tumors are considered an expansive source in terms of diagnostic and treatment technologies needed to treat them1⁠. Gross total resection (GTR) is the gold standard in brain tumor therapy leading to a better patient outcome and a prolonged survival⁠. However, GTR needs to be balanced with brain functions deficits. Recents studies have proposed resting state (rs) functional connectivity as a tool to map these functions, but unfortunately they restrict the mapping to eloquent functions located in the perilesional area, overlooking distal regions that could be altered by brain tumors7⁠. Here we propose a whole brain approach, based on independent component analysis (ICA), to identify altered or preserved resting state networks (RSNs), without a priori localization of the lesion.