DIAGNOSTICS

diagnostics

• Lumbar Puncture: Also known as spinal puncture, this is done to take fluid samples from the spinal cord or the cerebrospinal fluid to measure the fluid’s pressure or to diagnose certain health conditions. This is helpful in diagnosing Meningitis (inflammation of the membrane covering the brain and spinal cord), Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain caused by a virus), and certain cancers such as Reye Syndrome, Myelitis (inflammation of the spinal cord or bone marrow).
• Imaging Tests: Advanced imaging techniques such as MRI, CT Scans, and Positron Emission Tomography Scans (PET Scans)allow the neurosurgeon to identify the size and exact placement, and degeneration of the tumors. Modern MRI techniques such as Functional MRI, Perfusion MRI, and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy have been contributing extensively to neurosurgery success by revealing the spinal cord, nerve roots, and surrounding areas.
• Ultrasonography: This is commonly done to study the blood flow to the brain in newborns and even adults. While the neck region blood vessels are studied through carotid Doppler scans, brain vessels are studied using the transcranial Doppler ultrasound in patients at high risk of stroke.
• Dual-energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA or DEXA): The test is done to measure the Bone Mineral Density (BMD) of the spine and skull. The scan is capable of detecting even the minutest changes in the bone mass.