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How to test for a brain tumor?
(May 10, 2010)
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A tumor is defined as a growth of abnormal cells that can occur within an organ or on the external surface of the organ. Tumors can either be benign or malignant. A malignant tumor is the strongest symptom of cancer. A brain tumor is a tumor that is located in the brain itself. The brain is the processing unit for the body which is responsible for voluntary and involuntary actions as well as for thoughts and emotions. The brain also controls the secretion of some hormones. It is not possible to live without the involuntary part of the brain performing its functions which include regulating the breathing and heart beat processes. The brain is an extremely sensitive organ and is protected by the skull which is made up of solid bone. The brain is further protected by a membrane. At the back of the head, the brain is connected to the central nervous system which is the communication pathway between the brain and the various organs and parts of the body. The brain processes information from the extremities of the body through the central nervous system. The brain has many different functions and there are different parts of the brain that are responsible for these functions. The effects of brain tumor depends entirely on where the tumor is located and how large, mainly how much of the brain is covered by the tumor. Diagnosing a brain tumor begins with noticing symptoms of the tumor.
One of the major symptoms of a brain tumor is the increase in pressure inside the cranium, more commonly called the skull. This is caused by a tumor that is growing and taking up more and more space inside the already constricted area where the brain is located. If the tumor is blocking the flow of the fluid that surrounds the brain and the central nervous system, then there is likely to be a rapid increase in intracranial pressure. This pressure presents itself in the form of headaches, vomiting, unconsciousness, comas, disturbances with vision (if the vision area of the brain is being compressed) and so on. Epilepsy is also a symptom, particularly in patients who have no history of the condition prior to the onset of the tumor.
The best test for a brain tumor is done by using either a CT or MR imagining techniques. Both these techniques are non invasive and can be performed quite quickly in order to diagnose a patient who has presented with some of the symptoms listed above
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Submitted by M T on May 10, 2010 at 01:43
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