Brain Tumor Diagnosis
Regular screening for brain tumors is not recommended for the general population. Brain tumors are typically found on imaging tests performed either because a person is having symptoms or to assess an unrelated illness or injury, such as a concussion.
State-of-the-art imaging tests, including MRI and PET/CT, are used to look for malignant brain tumors and determine if tumors are responding to treatment.
If a tumor is identified on an imaging scan, surgery is required to determine which specific brain tumor type it is. In cases in which tumors are located within critical brain structures, an image-guided, minimally invasive stereotactic biopsy may be performed to safely remove the smallest amount of tissue necessary to make the diagnosis. For tumors near speech centers, surgery may have an awake component to make sure no speech deficits will occur upon tumor removal.
Brain Tumor Risk Factors
Most brain tumors are not associated with genetic or hereditary conditions, and there are no known lifestyle or environmental factors that increase the chance of specifically getting a brain tumor. However, certain genetic syndromes can increase the chance of developing brain tumors. At UI Health, we routinely screen for these conditions in coordination with Hereditary Cancer Clinic to provide brain cancer patients with streamlined access to genetic counselors.
