What tests should be done for glioma

Glioma is a brain tumor disease that has no symptoms in the early stages, so many patients have missed the best time for treatment when they go to the hospital for examination. This requires people to pay more attention to their physical health, have regular examinations, and go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible if they find any discomfort. So what examinations should be done to detect glioma as early as possible? The following editor will introduce to you the examinations that should be done for glioma.

1. Cerebrospinal fluid examination: The pressure of lumbar puncture is usually increased. For some tumors, such as those located on the brain surface or in the ventricles, the amount of cerebrospinal fluid protein may increase, the number of white blood cells may also increase, and some tumor cells may be found. However, for those with significantly increased intracranial pressure, lumbar puncture has the risk of promoting brain herniation. Therefore, it is generally only performed when necessary, such as when it is necessary to distinguish from inflammation or bleeding. For those with obvious pressure increase, the operation should be cautious and do not release too much cerebrospinal fluid. Mannitol drip is given after surgery and careful observation is required.

2. Ultrasound examination: It can help determine the side and observe whether there is hydrocephalus. For infants, B-type ultrasound scans can be performed through the anterior fontanelle to show tumor images and other pathological changes.

3. EEG examination: On the one hand, the EEG changes of gliomas are limited to the changes in brain waves at the tumor site. On the other hand, there are general and widely distributed changes in frequency and amplitude. These are affected by the size of the tumor, infiltration, degree of brain edema, and increased intracranial pressure. Shallow tumors are prone to localized abnormalities, while deep tumors have fewer localized changes. In more benign astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, etc., localized delta waves are mainly manifested, and some epileptic waveforms such as spikes or sharp waves can be seen. Large glioblastoma multiforme can show extensive delta waves, which can sometimes only be determined on one side.

4. Radioisotope scanning: Tumors that grow quickly and have abundant blood supply have high blood-brain barrier permeability and high isotope absorption rate. For example, glioblastoma multiforme shows isotope concentration images, and there may be low-density areas in the middle due to necrosis and cysts. It is necessary to distinguish it from metastatic tumors based on its shape and multiplicity. The concentration of more benign gliomas such as astrocytomas is lower, often slightly higher than the surrounding brain tissue, and the image is not clear, and some may be negative findings.