Neuro Oncology

Neuro Oncology is the medical area that studies how the brain is affected and controlled by the central nervous system. This is a very specialized field that requires constant education to keep up on the newest techniques. Neurologists diagnose and manage patients who have problems with memory, attention spans language, and perception, changes in behaviors due to a head injury, and controlling diseases that affect the central nervous system.

There are 12 Centers for Neuro Oncology. The offer training and services that can’t be matched. They have a full research team dedicated to finding the right combination of things to meet the needs of every patient. Advanced treatments are generally available first as these centers. In addition, neuro oncologists at these centers work with nurses, dietitians, and social workers to ensure all the needs of the patient are being met in one facility. They often have staffings to discuss the plan of action for each patient so that everyone is in agreement as to the best course of action for that person.

Neuro oncology helps to decide if a patient will benefit from surgery on the brain.



Surgery may be an option to remove a tumor or to correct a neurological defect. However, the neuro oncologist must first run a series of tests to determine if the surgery can be successful based on several factors. These factors include the age of the person, their overall health, the location of what needs to be corrected or removed, as well as the size of anything that has to be removed. This information is then shared with the neuro surgeon. If surgeon is to proceed, then the surgeon will have the best information to work with, allowing for the best changes of a successful outcome.

Neuro oncology uses the latest technology to read the tests given to patients. Posititron Emission Tomography (PET-CT) detects metabolic activity. It can identify complications from diseases before they are noticed by any other type of imaging. This allows action to be taken before it has affected the patient. Computerized Tomography is very efficient and quick. It takes 32 images per second. It also allows the images to be enlarged and viewed from various angles. This is also very important when deciding if an operation can be successful.


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