PurposeIsocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation and 1p19q codeletion status are important for managing glioma patients. However, current practice dictates invasive tissue sampling for histomolecular classification. We investigated the current value of dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) MR perfusion imaging as a tool for the non-invasive identification of these biomarkers.MethodsA systematic search of PubMed, Medline, and Embase up to 2023 was performed, and meta-analyses were conducted. We removed studies employing machine learning models or using multiparametric imaging. We used random-effects standardized mean difference (SMD) and bivariate sensitivity-specificity meta-analyses, calculated the area under the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and performed meta-regressions using technical acquisition parameters (e.g., time to echo [TE], repetition time [TR]) as moderators to explore sources of heterogeneity. For all estimates, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are provided.ResultsSixteen eligible manuscripts comprising 1819 patients were included in the quantitative analyses. IDH mutant (IDHm) gliomas had lower rCBV values compared to their wild-type (IDHwt) counterparts. The highest SMD was observed for rCBVmean, rCBVmax, and rCBV 75thpercentile (SMD≈ − 0.8, 95% CI ≈ [− 1.2, − 0.5]). In meta-regression, shorter TEs, shorter TRs, and smaller slice thicknesses were linked to higher absolute SMDs. When discriminating IDHm from IDHwt, the highest pooled specificity was observed for rCBVmean(82% [72, 89]), and the highest pooled sensitivity (i.e., 92% [86, 93]) and AUC (i.e., 0.91) for rCBV 10thpercentile. In the bivariate meta-regression, shorter TEs and smaller slice gaps were linked to higher pooled sensitivities. In IDHm, 1p19q codeletion was associated with higher rCBVmean (SMD = 0.9 [0.2, 1.5]) and rCBV 90thpercentile (SMD = 0.9 [0.1, 1.7]) values.ConclusionsIdentification of vascular signatures predictive of IDH and 1p19q status is a novel promising application of DSC perfusion. Standardization of acquisition protocols and post-processing of DSC perfusion maps are warranted before widespread use in clinical practice.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00234-023-03154-5.