Brain tumors are the most common solid tumor of childhood. They may develop in a child of any age. Very young children often are not able to complain of these symptoms and thus the delay in diagnosis and appropriate treatment often occurs.
Some brain tumors can spread to other parts of the nervous system such as the spinal cord.
In addition to images of the head, the spinal fluid may also need to be examined and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan, or MRI , of the spine may be obtained. An MRI is a technique for creating pictures of body structures and organs. Unfortunately the majority of brain tumors are cancerous or they occur in a place which makes removal of the tumor difficult and sometimes impossible. Thus, it is very important that children with suspected brain tumors be referred to a children's hospital , such as the University of Michigan, where there are specialists experienced in the treatment of these tumors. Infants and young children may require unique surgical approaches .