Tests and Procedures used for Diagnosis of Spinal Cord Cancer

After physical examination of the patient, the doctor used following tests for pinpointing the exact location ,stage , extent and cause of Spinal Cord Cancer.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Spinal Cord:

This method uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to create the cross-sectional images of spinal cord. Sometimes, the doctor may use the contrast agent that is injected into vein and in this way tumor area is shown separately from normal area. In advanced technology medical centres the Spinal MRI method is performed by using high-field-strength scanners and thereby small and minor tumor’s growth is seen.

Computerized Tomography /CT Scan :

In this method the cross sectional images of spine are taken by using the narrow beam of radiation.  A contrast dye is injected into the vein to see  the abnormal area in the spinal canal or spinal cord.

Myelogram:

A contrast dye is injected into spinal column of Spinal cord cancer’s Patient and this dye circulates around your spinal cord and spinal nerves. This dye appears in white color in a CT scan or an X-ray.  It is riskier method that’s why less common used for the diagnosis of Spinal cord tumor. However it is used special to identify the compressed nerve.

Biopsy:

This is very helpful method of screening by which the doctor differentiates between cancerous and non- cancerous growth of Spinal cord Tumor. This test is performed after a local anesthesia; a sample of abnormal growth is taken and then checked by a pathologist under microscope.

In case of cancerous tumor, the doctor graded the cancer. Grade 1 a termed used for the least aggressive and Grade 4 is recognized as the most aggressive .

Neurofibromatosis 2: In the case of this heredity disorder, some non cancerous cell grows on or near the nerves that are associated with hearing. The accumulation of these cancerous cells leads to progressive hearing loss in one or both ears. The people who are victims of this disease have more risk of tumor development in other tissues. The excessive growth of abnormal cancerous cells produces tumors in the arachnoid layer of the spinal cord or in the supporting glial cells.

Von Hippel-Linden Disease: This is a  rare multisystem disorder that may become a cause of tumor growth (Hemangioblastomas) in the brain, retina and spinal cord and with other types of tumors in the kidneys or adrenal glands.

It is proven by the study that spinal cord lymphomas normally appear in the people whose immune system is weak or is compromise by medications or disease. We just hope with the advent of new technology the researchers will find soon the exact cause of defective genes that in turn  results in production of Spinal Cord tumors in human. Until that time we have to rely only on these limited information.

More commonly the tumour is simply a part of a cancer elsewhere in the body, however occasionally a tumour can form on its own either inside or on the outer lining of the spinal cord itself.

Because the cancer is located in the CNS the first most common symptoms of this type of cancer is back pain, numbness and a tingling sensation as the central nervous system is being disrupted by the pressure of the cancer. It can also affect a person’s coordination resulting in clumsiness and walking difficulties. Once these symptoms occur it is important to ascertain the problem as a tumour on the spinal cord maybe difficult to remove and the size and position of the tumour must be assessed.

A full CT scan can be carried out using x-rays to scan the entire body and enable the specialists a chance to give a proper diagnosis, it will also find any other cancers that may relate to the tumour.  An MRI scan may be carried out to enable a more in depth look at certain areas of the body. Treatment of a spinal cord tumour is more difficult than a normal cancer as it is connected to the spinal cord and surgery may make things worse.

The tumour may not be completely removable due to its position; if it is inside the spinal cord itself then it is possible that the only treatment would be to remove a part of it. Other treatments include radiation therapy, chemotherapy and even steroids to reduce the swelling.