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Diagnosis of Diffuse Pontine Gliomas

How do you know that a child has a diffuse pontine glioma?

Doctors and other medical professionals will use well-established diagnostic tests to see if a brain tumour is causing your child’s symptoms. These tests will include a physical examination, and brain scans such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The diagnosis is usually made based on the signs and symptoms in your child, and on the results of the MRI study. When the tumour looks typical on an MRI, a biopsy is not necessary. If the tumour looks unusual, a biopsy may be required. Although a biopsy may be considered by some centres to help with diagnosis, surgery is not part of the treatment plan for this type of tumour.

Diffuse Pontine Glioma MRI

 

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Last ReviewedReviewed by
July 10, 2009

Eric Bouffet, MD, FRCPC

 
 
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