Brain Tumours Flashcards
Presentation of brain tumours
Focal neurological symptoms, symptoms of raised ICP
Sign of raised ICP in the eyes
Papilloedema
Concerning featurs of headache indicating investigation
Contant, nocturnal, worse on waking, worse on coughing, straining or bending forward, vomiting
Symptoms of raised ICP
Altered mental state, visual field defects, seizures, unilateral ptosis, third and sixth nerve palsies, papilloedema
Common cancers to metastasise to the brain
Lung, breast, renal cell carcinoma and melanoma
What are gliomas
Tumours of the glial cells in the brain or spinal cord
Three types of gliomas
Astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma and ependymoma
What are meningiomas
Tumours growing from the meninges in the brain and spinal cord, usually benign
Complications of a pituitary tumour
Compression of optic chiasm leading to bitemporal hemianopia. Hormone deficiencies or hormone excess - acromegaly, hyperprolactinaemia, cushings, thyrotoxicosis
What is an acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
Tumours of schwann cells surrounding the auditory nerve, around the cerebellopontine angle
Symptoms of acoustic neuroma
Hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems, unilateral
Treatment of pituitary tumours
Trans-sphenoidal surgery, radiotherapy, bromocriptine to block prolactin secreting tumours and somatostatin analogues to blow growth hormone tumours
What is Broca’s aphasia
Problems producing speech, speak with isolated words, abrupt and incoherent sentences
What is Wernickes aphasia
No understanding of whats being said, so replies make no sense and often use the same word
Features of temporal lobe pathology
Propagnosia and pareidolla
