Diagnosis of brain tumors


	Brain Tumors Clasification Diagnosis Treatment Prognosis Experimental Treatments Stem Cells Information for: Professionals - Physicians - Researchers Non Professionals - Patients - Relatives Useful Information Associations Foundations Medical Journals Research Grants Useful Links	When a patient shows symptoms of brain tumors, doctors should perform a thorough neurological exam to check vision, hearing, balance, coordination and reflexes and, if indicated, orders imaging tests to further localize the problem. Symptoms Tests

		Symptoms
		The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor vary greatly and depend on the brain tumor's size, location and rate of growth. General signs and symptoms caused by brain tumors may include:
		New onset or change in pattern of headaches Headaches are very common with around 46% of the patients reporting having headaches. The headache is the result of the pressure being placed on the area of the brain that is afected. The pressure is often placed on nerve endings found here as well as on the brain and the skull wall as well. When headaches change in their pattern, their intensity and come on gradually, then it could be a sign of a brain tumor.
		Headaches that gradually become more frequent and more severe
		Unexplained nausea or vomiting
		Vision problems, such as blurred vision, double vision or loss of peripheral vision
		Gradual loss of sensation or movement in an arm or a leg
		Difficulty with balance
		Speech difficulties such as Dysarthria (refers to slow and distorted speech, such as slurring. It results from the inability to control or coordinate the muscles used in speaking) Other cause of dysartria are: Stroke Traumatic brain injury Degenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and multiple sclerosis Conditions that cause facial paralysis or weakness, such as Bell's palsy Excessive use of alcohol and certain medications, such as sedatives or narcotics
		Confusion in everyday matters
		Personality or behavior changes problems with recent memory, inability to concentrate or finding the right words, acting out - no patience or tolerance, and loss of inhibitions - saying or doing things that are not appropriate for the situation.
		Seizures, especially in someone who doesn't have a history of seizures . This is the second most common symptom reported, with around 33% of the patients reporting a seizure before a diagnosis is made. Seizures can also be caused by other conditions, like epilepsy, high fevers, stroke, trauma, and other disorders. It is a symptom that should never be ignored, whatever the cause. In a person who never had a seizure before, it usually indicates something serious and you must get a brain scan.
		Hearing problems
		Hormonal (endocrine) disorders
		appetite loss

		Useful tests
		Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan Since its introduction into clinical practice, MRI has been among the most important of all advances in the care of patients with brain tumors. This techniques method uses magnetic fields to generate images of the brain. The patient lies inside a cylindrical machine for approximately an hour. MRI scans are particularly useful in diagnosing brain tumors, because they outline the normal brain structures in detail. It has become the current standard of neuroimaging for brain tumor evaluation. Anatomic MRI with gadolinium-based intravenous contrast agent, provides highly sensitive tumor detection and characterization far superior to any other imaging modality. MRI has been found to be more sensitive than CT in the detection of asymptomatic progression of disease.Sometimes a special dye is injected into the bloodstream during the procedure to help better distinguish tumors from healthy tissue (MRI angiogram). Read more... Computed Tomography (CT) Scan A CT scan uses a sophisticated X-ray machine linked to a computer to produce detailed, two-dimensional images of the brain. A patient lies still on a movable table that is guided into what looks like an enormous doughnut where the images are taken. A special dye may be injected into the bloodstream after a few CT scans to help better distinguish tumors (CT angiogram). A CT scan is painless and generally takes less than 10 minutes. Read more... Angiogram A special dye is injected into the arteries that go to the brain. The dye, which flows through the blood vessels in the brain, can be seen on X-ray. This test helps locate blood vessels in and around a brain tumor. Other Brain Scans Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) Positron emission tomography (PET) These scans can be combined with MRIs to help physicians understand a tumor's effects on brain activity and function. If a brain scan detects a tumor, especially multiple tumors, physicians may test for cancer elsewhere in the body. X-rays of the Head and Skull An X-ray of the head may show skull alterations indicating a tumor or calcium deposits sometimes associated with brain tumors. However, an X-ray is far less sensitive than brain scans and is used less often. Biopsy A biopsy is usually required to diagnose a brain tumor and confirm its type. In a biopsy, a tiny piece of tumor is removed for examination under a microscope. A biopsy can be performed separately or as part the surgery to remove the tumor. The tissue is examined by a neuropathologist to determine the kind of tumor, which is critical to determining the proper treatment. It is important that this analysis be performed by a pathologist who specializes in brain tumors (a neuropathologist). Studies have shown that the diagnosis may change substantially for at least one-third of patients when an experienced neuropathologist does the review.

Biopsy