Brain tumors are conditions where brain tissues or any tissues nearby the brain are uncontrollably growing, such as the pituitary and pineal glands, nerves, or membranes covering the brain. The brain tumor itself is of multiple subtypes designated depending upon the cell type of brain affected. In this article, we discuss "how is brain tumor detected".
Diagnosis of brain tumor
Depending upon the symptoms, a brain specialist would perform diagnostic tests that usually include the following:
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) - This is often the most common imaging technique done for patients having symptoms of brain tumor.
- CT Scan (Computed Tomography Scan) - This technique is often recommended to those patients who cannot undergo an MRI scanning procedure due to some medical issues.
- EEG (Electroencephalography) - This is particularly done to record brain activities in some brain tumor patients with seizures. Here, small sensors are fixed over the scalp, and the electrical signals produced by the brain are recorded.
- WADA (intracarotid sodium amobarbital procedure (ISAP)) testing - It helps the doctor to make surgical plans in Long term Epilepsy Associated brain Tumors (LEAT) patients. This test has two parts: angiography and Memory, speech, & muscle test.
- Brain biopsy - A small part of the tissue is removed from the brain tumor and is particularly done to identify the type and nature of the tumor.
- Lumbar puncture - This is done to obtain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the spine to detect the presence of cancer cells. This is often done to identify the cancerous stage of the tumor.
Conclusion
Brain tumors are detected through various diagnostic tests, including MRI, CT scans, EEG, WADA testing, biopsies, and lumbar punctures, each targeting specific symptoms and tumor characteristics. Most diagnostic techniques for identifying brain tumors are not cheap, so having good health insurance always helps to reduce the financial burden.