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Diseases » Brain cancer » Tests

Diagnostic Tests for Brain cancer

Contents

Brain cancer: Diagnostic Tests

The list of diagnostic tests mentioned in various sources as used in the diagnosis of Brain cancer includes:

Home Diagnostic Testing

These home medical tests may be relevant to Brain cancer:

Colon & Rectal Cancer: Home Testing
- Home Colorectal Cancer Tests
- Home Fecal Occult Bleeding Tests
Brain & Neurological Disorders: Related Home Testing:
- ADHD -- Home Tests
- Drug Screening Kits
Cancer-Related Home Testing:

Brain cancer Diagnosis: Book Excerpts

Tests and diagnosis discussion for Brain cancer:

NINDS Brain and Spinal Tumors Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

The first test to diagnose brain and spinal column tumors is a neurological examination. Special imaging techniques (computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography) are also employed. Laboratory tests include the EEG and the spinal tap. A biopsy, a surgical procedure in which a sample of tissue is taken from a suspected tumor, helps doctors diagnose the type of tumor. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Brain and Spinal Tumors Information Page: NINDS)

What You Need To Know About Brain Tumors: NCI (Excerpt)

To find the cause of a person's symptoms, the doctor asks about the patient's personal and family medical history and performs a complete physical examination. In addition to checking general signs of health, the doctor does a neurologic exam. This includes checks for alertness, muscle strength, coordination, reflexes, and response to pain. The doctor also examines the eyes to look for swelling caused by a tumor pressing on the nerve that connects the eye and the brain.

Depending on the results of the physical and neurologic examinations, the doctor may request one or both of the following:

A CT (or CAT) scan is a series of detailed pictures of the brain. The pictures are created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In some cases, a special dye is injected into a vein before the scan. The dye helps to show differences in the tissues of the brain.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) gives pictures of the brain, using a powerful magnet linked to a computer. MRI is especially useful in diagnosing brain tumors because it can "see" through the bones of the skull to the tissue underneath. A special dye may be used to enhance the likelihood of detecting a brain tumor.

The doctor may also request other tests such as:

A skull x-ray can show changes in the bones of the skull caused by a tumor. It can also show calcium deposits, which are present in some types of brain tumors.
A brain scan reveals areas of abnormal growth in the brain and records them on special film. A small amount of a radioactive material is injected into a vein. This dye is absorbed by the tumor, and the growth shows up on the film. (The radiation leaves the body within 6 hours and is not dangerous.)
An angiogram , or arteriogram, is a series of x-rays taken after a special dye is injected into an artery (usually in the area where the abdomen joins the top of the leg). The dye, which flows through the blood vessels of the brain, can be seen on the x-rays. These x-rays can show the tumor and blood vessels that lead to it.
A myelogram is an x-ray of the spine. A special dye is injected into the cerebrospinal fluid in the spine, and the patient is tilted to allow the dye to mix with the fluid. This test may be done when the doctor suspects a tumor in the spinal cord.

(Source: excerpt from What You Need To Know About Brain Tumors: NCI)