Meningioma

Diagnosis of meningioma

Diagnosis is made by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilizing a contrast agent. Cerebral angiography, which directly depicts the blood vessels in the brain, is sometimes used. It is believed that 20-30% of meningiomas discovered incidentally during routine brain checkups will grow to a large size within 2-3 years. In elderly patients or those with a large calcified (solid) area in the tumor, these tumors tend not to grow very large. Conversely, meningiomas tend to grow larger in young patients, those with soft tumors, or those with increased fluid around the tumor. Early surgery should be considered if the tumor is located near the path of the optic nerve or other important structures.

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