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1. Clinical presentation and neurological examination
A detailed history and neurological examination are performed to preliminarily localize the affected brain region and guide imaging evaluation.
2. Brain MRI
Non-contrast and contrast-enhanced MRI is the core imaging approach, delineating lesion number, edema, and enhancement characteristics; multimodal sequences provide additional perfusion-related information.
3. Computed tomography (CT)
CT is used for emergency screening to detect tumors, hemorrhage, and mass effect, and can assess whether the skull is involved.
4. Positron emission tomography (PET)
Whole-body PET-CT is used to search for the primary tumor, identify hypermetabolic lesions, localize tumor origin, and support staging.
5. Histopathological diagnosis
Histopathology of biopsy or resection specimens is the gold standard to confirm metastatic carcinoma; immunohistochemistry helps infer the likely primary organ site.
6. Molecular pathology and genomic testing
Testing for alterations such as EGFR and BRAF can aid in identifying tumor origin and directly guide targeted therapy selection.
7. Liquid biopsy
Circulating tumor DNA and related assays provide molecular information, support response monitoring, and help detect resistance.
8. Differential diagnosis
Differentiation from glioma, lymphoma, and brain abscess is required, relying on imaging features and ultimately pathological confirmation.
9. Daily self-check for brain metastases
Patients with cancer should pay attention to new-onset headache, limb weakness, speech disturbances, or visual changes and communicate promptly with clinicians.
Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine emphasizes that brain metastases can cause disability and life-threatening intracranial hypertension. Vigilance for neurological symptoms and systematic, accurate diagnostic evaluation are the first steps in effective treatment. Modern imaging and molecular pathology enable earlier diagnosis, and MDT-based individualized planning is the foundation for improving prognosis and restoring hope.
1. Clinical presentation and neurological examination
A detailed history and neurological examination are performed to preliminarily localize the affected brain region and guide imaging evaluation.
2. Brain MRI
Non-contrast and contrast-enhanced MRI is the core imaging approach, delineating lesion number, edema, and enhancement characteristics; multimodal sequences provide additional perfusion-related information.
3. Computed tomography (CT)
CT is used for emergency screening to detect tumors, hemorrhage, and mass effect, and can assess whether the skull is involved.
4. Positron emission tomography (PET)
Whole-body PET-CT is used to search for the primary tumor, identify hypermetabolic lesions, localize tumor origin, and support staging.
5. Histopathological diagnosis
Histopathology of biopsy or resection specimens is the gold standard to confirm metastatic carcinoma; immunohistochemistry helps infer the likely primary organ site.
6. Molecular pathology and genomic testing
Testing for alterations such as EGFR and BRAF can aid in identifying tumor origin and directly guide targeted therapy selection.
7. Liquid biopsy
Circulating tumor DNA and related assays provide molecular information, support response monitoring, and help detect resistance.
8. Differential diagnosis
Differentiation from glioma, lymphoma, and brain abscess is required, relying on imaging features and ultimately pathological confirmation.
9. Daily self-check for brain metastases
Patients with cancer should pay attention to new-onset headache, limb weakness, speech disturbances, or visual changes and communicate promptly with clinicians.
Jinshazhou Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine emphasizes that brain metastases can cause disability and life-threatening intracranial hypertension. Vigilance for neurological symptoms and systematic, accurate diagnostic evaluation are the first steps in effective treatment. Modern imaging and molecular pathology enable earlier diagnosis, and MDT-based individualized planning is the foundation for improving prognosis and restoring hope.