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Brain Tumors/Pineal region solid mass

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Expert: - 1/15/2008


Question
My son had an MRI performed in December and they found a solid mass measuring up to 9 mm in the pineal region. Fortunately, he does not have any symptoms, this was found when he had a CT Scan done as a result of head trauma from wrestling in high school. I have a few questions:

1) The neurologists' office set the earliest appointment for the end of February. Should I insist that a neurosurgeon see him earlier?

2) Is the dimension of 9 mm considered to be small or large, I do not have anything to compare it to.

3) What does a "solid" mass generally indicate?

4) Will this require a surgical biopsy?

Thank you very much for any input that you can provide.

Answer
1. Hard question really since I do not know what it looks like on the MRI & CT scans. Nor do I know if you can stand the waiting. There is no harm in going to a neurosurgeon ASAP and then use the neurologist as a "second opinion".
2. An inch is 25.4 mm. So it is A LITTLE more than a third of an inch in size. Not very big.
3. Again impossible to say. Only that it is some sort of solid (not cystic) tumor there. There are many kinds of such tumors there from harmless to very dangerous.
4. That is quite possible but again it depends on what it looks like.
Good luck!  

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Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D.

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I`m a doctor of medicine and specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have a long time experience of these tumours.

Experience

I'm a Doctor of Medicine and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation Therapy, educated and trained in Sweden. Now retired. Background in Radiation Therapy, Medical Oncology, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Gynecological Oncology, Clinical Pathology, Clinical Cytology,Hematology and Internal Medicine. M.D. from the faculty of medicine, Royal Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Have also been an exchange student at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem Israel. Former medical consultant, Swedish National Board of Radiation Protection. Former Police Surgeon and Medical Examiner, Stockholm Police Department. Former Chief Medical Officer, The Royal Guards, The Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Household Brigade, Royal Swedish Army Medical Corps. You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128 . I have no restrictions on the number of questions there. I also answer questions about Oncology (General Cancer), General History, Military History, Breast Cancer, Colon Cancer.

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Doctor of medicine, specialist in medical oncology & radiation therapy.

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