brain biopsy

Indications

• brain neoplasms (most common)
• rapidly progressive disease (without brain mass)*
  • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
  • vasculitis
  • encephalitis
  • lymphoma
  • amyloidosis
  • demyelination

* not 'true'indications

Clinical significance

• established a diagnosis in ~36% of cases
• in ~4% if cases, biopsy results changed management
  • only lymphoma patients benefitted from change in management

More general terms

• tissue biopsy
• neurosurgery