Advanced diffusion MRI provides evidence for altered axonal microstructure and gradual peritumoral infiltration in GBM in comparison to brain metastases.

Our findings provide evidence of gradual alterations within the peritumoral zone of brain tumors. These are compatible with predominant (vasogenic) edema formation in metastases, whereas our findings in GBM are in line with an axonal destructive component in the immediate peritumoral area and evidence of tumor cell infiltration with accentuation in the tumor's vicinity.