Benign Brain Tumors

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Treatment Options
• For More Information

Overview

Meningiomas are brain tumors that are almost always benign, or non-cancerous. They originate in the meninges, tissues that serve as the lining for the brain and central nervous system, and are part of the structure that separates the brain from the skull. They are slow-growing and may be present without symptoms – often, they’re discovered during brain scans for other issues.

Symptoms

Often, for meningiomas that are not presenting problems, the best treatment is careful observation through MRI scans. For some patients, however, benign meningiomas that press against surrounding brain cells or nerves may cause symptoms like headaches, dizziness, seizures, weakness in the extremities or problems with cognitive and motor skills.

Diagnosis

The diagnostic process begins with examination by a physician, taking into account the symptoms – different symptoms can suggest different locations for a tumor. The physician will order an MRI or CT scan to obtain images to detect and define the presence and location of any meningioma in the brain. Your physician will discuss the findings with a neurosurgeon and other specialists.

Treatment Options

When it is clear that a meningioma needs to be dealt with, the first choice of treatment usually is surgical excision, if the tumor’s location makes it feasible. Advanced MRI scans will likely be ordered to precisely create a “map” of the brain to guide the neurosurgeon in his approach to the tumor. Our neurosurgeons’ capabilities for Image-Guided Cranial Surgery ensures precise and accurate procedures with excellent outcomes. Unlike malignant tumors, meningiomas usually have well-defined edges and, once removed, rarely grow back.

If the meningioma is in a location that can’t be accessed by surgery, another option to be considered would be radiation therapy.

To read more about treatment options at Portsmouth Regional Hospital, visit our brain surgery page.

For More Information:

American Brain Tumor Association
www.abta.org

American Association of Neurological Surgeons
www.aans.org

National Brain Tumor Society
www.braintumor.org

National Cancer Institute
www.cancer.gov

U.S. National Library of Medicine
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus