Localizing CNS tumors based on symptoms

By Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd|2016-12-14T12:56:43-05:00December 1st, 2015|Neurosurgery|

This is something that just seems to come up on the boards periodically. Ultimately if you’re concerned that the child may have a tumor stop localizing and start imaging. See this post for more.

Cerebral cortex

Headache
Seizures
Hemiparesis
Hyperreflexia and clonus
Memory and speech problems (aphasia)
Personality changes (temporal lobe)

Posterior fossa

Headache
Nausea and vomiting
Ataxic gait and incoordination
Papilledema
Nystagmus

Brain stem

Abnormal cranial nerve exam
Ataxic gait and incoordination
Nystagmus
Focal motor weakness

Optic Nerve

Visual problems (obviously)
Proptosis

Hypothalamus

Endocrinologic maladies like diabetes insipidus

About the Author: Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd

Brad Sobolewski, MD, MEd is a Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and an Associate Director for the Pediatric Residency Training Program at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. He is on Twitter/X @PEMTweets, on Instagram @BradSobolewski, authors the Pediatric Emergency Medicine site PEMBlog and is the host and creator of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast. All views are strictly my own and not official medical advice.