Innovative Value of Amide Proton Transfer Imaging in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Brain Gliomas: From Basic Principles to Clinical Applications

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exhibits notable limitations in the diagnosis, grading, and therapeutic assessment of gliomas, making it insufficient to meet the demands of precision medicine. As a chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI technique, amide proton transfer (APT) imaging enables molecular-level visualization by detecting the chemical exchange of amide protons in endogenous mobile proteins and peptides. Previous studies have demonstrated that APT imaging provides substantial advantages over conventional MRI in the diagnosis, grading, and treatment monitoring of gliomas. This review systematically summarizes the development of APT imaging technology, emphasizing its innovative clinical applications, including preoperative grading, differentiation of postoperative recurrence, and dynamic evaluation of radiotherapy and chemotherapy efficacy. Furthermore, it discusses current challenges and future directions for clinical implementation, aiming to offer new perspectives for advancing precision medicine in glioma management.