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Intracerebral metastases other diagnostic studies

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sujit Routray, M.D. [2]

Overview

Overview

Brain biopsy is done to confirm the diagnosis of intracerebral metastases, if the type of primary tumor is unknown or the etiology of the brain abnormality is unknown.[1] Histopathological findings on biopsy of intracerebral metastases can be found here.[2][3]

Other Diagnostic Studies

Other Diagnostic Studies

  • Brain biopsy is done to confirm the diagnosis of intracerebral metastases, if the type of primary tumor is unknown or the etiology of the brain abnormality is unknown.[1]
  • Histopathological findings on biopsy of intracerebral metastases can be found here.[2][3]
  • Biopsy may be of two types: open and stereotactic.
  • Indications for open biopsy and stereotactic biopsy are described below:[4]
Type of biopsy Indications

Open biopsy

  • Surgically resectable masses
  • Lesions in accessible and relatively “silent” areas of the brain or in areas of the brain with a mild postoperative neurological deficit
  • Appearance consistent with tumor on the MRI
  • Large tumors exerting mass effect

Stereotactic biopsy

  • Deep-seated tumor that is not amenable to resection
  • Lesions in which the radiological and clinical findings are ambiguous
  • Diffuse or multiple lesions
  • Appearance that suggests a lymphoma, which would not require resection
  • Change in the appearance of a previously diagnosed or treated tumor
  • Assessment of tumor after treatment (to distinguish between radiation necrosis and tumor recurrence)
References

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Khuntia, Deepak (2015). “Contemporary Review of the Management of Brain Metastasis with Radiation”. Advances in Neuroscience. 2015: 1–13. doi:10.1155/2015/372856. ISSN 2356-6787.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Microscopic features of brain metastasis. Libre pathology 2015. http://librepathology.org/wiki/index.php/Brain_metastasis. Accessed on November 10, 2015
  3. 3.0 3.1 Microscopic appearance of brain metastases. Dr Bruno Di Muzio and Dr Trent Orton et al. Radiopaedia 2015. http://radiopaedia.org/articles/brain-metastases. Accessed on November 10, 2015
  4. Eskandar EN, Loeffler JS, O’Neill AM, Hunter GJ, Louis DN (2004). “Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly clinicopathological exercises. Case 33-2004. A 34-year-old man with a seizure and a frontal-lobe brain lesion”. N Engl J Med. 351 (18): 1875–82. doi:10.1056/NEJMcpc049025. PMID 15509821.


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