Tumors In The Brain (Meningioma)

Hi everyone, how are you doing today, I hope you are always healthy and able to work as usual. Today I want to share information about a 36-year-old man, he was taken to the radiology installation Teungku Chik Ditiro Hospital from the inpatient nerve room to examination with imaging modalities, namely Computed Tomography (CT). The patient has been hospitalized for several days because of suffering from meningioma. Last year he had been diagnosed with meningioma and was referred to Center's General Hospital Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo in Jakarta for the surgical removal of the meningioma tumor, but his family refused surgery for the patient so he took him home.

At that time, the condition of the patient was still stable and had not experienced blindness. Now, because his condition has worsened and has experienced blindness a few weeks ago, his family brought the patient back to Teungku Chik Ditiro Sigli hospital.
In radiology, the patient was asked to do a head CT examination with contrast media. Examination by using contrast media first the patient is prepared by examining ureum and creatinin in the laboratory section. Furthermore, patients are advised not to consume food and drinks for at least 4 hours before the examination.

After preparing before the examination, the patient has a skin test to find out the contrast media reaction to the patient's body. Then the patient is placed on the examination table and put into the CT gantry, and then scans the head area.
Following are head CT scanning in these patients with meningiomas in the left fronto-temporo-parietal with a size of 6.2 x 5.5 x 7 cm.

Meningioma

Meningioma a tumor formed in meninges, that is the lining of the protector brain and spinal. Tumor is usually occurs in the brain, but can also grown in the spine. Generally meningioma classified benign tumors growing very slow, not even symptoms of up to the years. But in some cases, the impact of meningioma on brain tissue, nervous and blood vessel, can cause a disability serious.

Causes of Meningioma

Until now there is no known cause of meningioma, but there are several factors that can make a person at higher risk for meningioma:

1. Obesity
   Although many meningiomas suffer from obesity, it is not known exactly what the link between the two diseases is.
2. Radiotherapy
   Patients who undergo radiorerapi have the potential to experience meningioma.
3. Patients with type 2 neurofibromatosis.
   Neurofibromatosis type 2 is a genetic disorder that results in tumor growth in various neural networks.

Meningioma symptoms

The size and location of the tumor determine the symptoms that occur in meningioma patients. Meningioma symptoms may not initially be visible, or they can appear gradually, such as: headaches that get worse, seizures, weakness of limbs, nausea and vomiting and blurred or shaded views.

Meningioma diagnosis

To determine the position and size of the tumor, examination with a contrast CT scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is very good, if there are doubts whether the tumor is benign or malignant, it can take part or all of the tumor to be analyzed (biopsy)

Meningioma treatment

If the symptoms are getting worse, the doctor will suggest surgery to remove the tumor. But in certain cases, for example if the tumor grows near a thin structure in the brain or spine, the tumor may not be completely removed. The doctor will only remove the tumor that is still possible to be removed.
After surgery, the patient will undergo a procedure that depends on a number of factors:
a. If there is no visible residual tumor, the patient will only undergo regular examinations and not undergo further treatment.
b. If there is a tumor that remains but is benign, the doctor will suggest an examination, in some cases, the patient will undergo radiotherapy to treat the remaining tumor.
c. If the remaining tumor includes a malignant tumor, the patient will undergo radiotherapy.
It can also be recommended for patients suffering from meningiomas to undergo endovascular embolization procedures. This procedure aims to stop the flow of blood to the meningioma so that its size shrinks.

References:

Wikipedia - Meningioma
Radiopedia - Meningioma
Webmd - Brain Cancer