Brain Cancer Detection/Diagnosis

If symptoms indicate the presence of a brain or spinal cord tumor, your doctor will run various tests to determine if you have cancer.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT) scans are used most often for the diagnosis of brain cancer. These imagining techniques will show a brain tumor, if one is present, in more than 95 percent of cases. In addition, an MRI or CT scan will tell the doctors exactly where a tumor is located.

MRI and CT scans may show that a brain or spinal cord tumor is very likely; however, these scans cannot give a definite diagnosis of brain cancer. This can only be done through a biopsy.

Grades

• Grade I - The tumor grows slowly. The cells look similar to normal cells. It rarely spreads. It may be possible to remove the entire tumor.
• Grade II - The tumor grows slowly, but may spread and become a higher grade.
• Grade III - The tumor grows quickly and is likely to spread. It looks very different from normal cells.
• Grade IV - The tumor grows aggressively and looks extremely different compared to normal cells. This grade is difficult to treat successfully.