Medullablastoma (MRI)

Medullablastoma

Medullablastoma is a fast- growing tumor of the cerebellum. The cerebellum controls posture, balance and complex motor functions like speech and balance. Tumors found in the cerebellum are called infratentorial tumors. In adults this tumor can usually be found in the body of the cerebellum especially toward the edges. In children, medullablastomas arise most often near the vermis.

There are different types of medullablastomas: classical medullablastoma, large-cell or anaplastic medullablastoma, desmoplastic nodular medullablatoma, melanotic medulloblastoma, medulloblastoma with glial differentiation, medulloblastoma with neuroblastic or neuronal differentiation and medullomyoblastoma. The early signs of this disease are “flu-like” – loss of appetite, irritability and lethargy so at first a Medullablastoma tends to go unnoticed because the signs are so non-specific. The first symptoms in infants may be irritability and increased head size and the first symptoms in older children and adults may be headaches and vomiting upon awakening. The person usually feels better after vomiting but as the tumor continues to grow, the pressure in the brain increases causing their vomiting, headaches and drowsiness to increase. Since Medullablastomas are found in the cerebellum, which controls movement and balance, a common problem with coordination and dizziness arises.

The first course of action a doctor needs to take in making a diagnosis is to get a symptom history of the patient and to run a neurological examination. MRI is the modality performed to identify the presence of a tumor in the brain and is done with and without contrast.

Once the tumor is established as being a medullablastoma, treatment currently consists of surgery to remove as much of the tumor as viable. The person’s doctor will recommend a treatment plan constructed of details that show the risk of the tumor returning. The doctor will also look at the patients age, how much of the tumor persists or spreads after surgery and amount of metastases to verify risk.

The most crucial measure in treating medullablastoma is to take out as much of the tumor as attainable to help ease the cerebrospinal fluid buildup from either swelling or tumor. After surgery, radiation therapy is typically used to treat medullablastoma because there may be some microscopic tumor cells that persist in the adjoining brain tissue. Chemotherapy can be used in children to decrease the risk of tumor cells extending through the spinal fluid. This treatment may not aid adults because their tumors tend to relapse in the cerebellum.

Prognosis of a patient depends upon how well they respond to treatment, which relies on their age, the size and magnitude of the tumor, the amount of the tumor that can be taken out safely and the stage of metastatic disease.