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Brain tumour
A guide for patients and carers
How is the diagnosis made?
You would usually first consult your GP who will refer you to a local hospital or sometimes directly to a neuroscience unit for investigation. The first scan is performed at either of these places, and will usually be either an MRI scan, or a CT scan both of which are described below. If the scan shows an abnormality, you will usually be transferred to a neuroscience unit after consultation with a specialist, usually either a neurologist or a neurosurgeon.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan
Pictures of the head and brain are made by magnetic fields and radio waves. The person having the scan lies in a long tube, and may have MRI contrast injected to help show up the tumour. Unfortunately, this machine is rather noisy.
CT (computerised tomography) scan
This is a special type of x-ray which takes pictures of the brain from different angles. Sometimes CT contrast (which may be referred to as dye) will be injected into a vein to help show up the tumour. This is often the first scan to be performed.
EEG (electroencephalogram)
Occasionally an EEG (electroencephalogram) may be carried out if the first symptom was a fit. An EEG involves having wires attached to the scalp for twenty to thirty minutes, during which time a recording of the electrical activity of the brain is made.
What will these tests tell the doctor?
They will confirm whether the symptoms are being caused by a structural lesion in the head and will give the doctor some idea as to whether this lesion is a tumour or some other problem. If it is thought to be a tumour, some idea may also be gained of whether it is benign or malignant. In themselves these investigations give no definite information about the type of tumour that is present.
Further tests
Once the doctor has established from the scan(s) that a tumour is present, he or she will need to obtain a sample of it for a pathologist to examine. Their examination of the sample will show whether the tumour is benign or malignant, and what kind of tumour it is. For any tumour there are three main forms of treatment.
Pictures of the head and brain are made by magnetic fields and radio waves. The person having the scan lies in a long tube, and may have MRI contrast injected to help show up the tumour. Unfortunately, this machine is rather noisy.
CT (computerised tomography) scan
This is a special type of x-ray which takes pictures of the brain from different angles. Sometimes CT contrast (which may be referred to as dye) will be injected into a vein to help show up the tumour. This is often the first scan to be performed.
EEG (electroencephalogram)
Occasionally an EEG (electroencephalogram) may be carried out if the first symptom was a fit. An EEG involves having wires attached to the scalp for twenty to thirty minutes, during which time a recording of the electrical activity of the brain is made.
What will these tests tell the doctor?
They will confirm whether the symptoms are being caused by a structural lesion in the head and will give the doctor some idea as to whether this lesion is a tumour or some other problem. If it is thought to be a tumour, some idea may also be gained of whether it is benign or malignant. In themselves these investigations give no definite information about the type of tumour that is present.
Further tests
Once the doctor has established from the scan(s) that a tumour is present, he or she will need to obtain a sample of it for a pathologist to examine. Their examination of the sample will show whether the tumour is benign or malignant, and what kind of tumour it is. For any tumour there are three main forms of treatment.
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