Semiology of pathological conditions in patients indicated for stereotactic biopsy
Introduction. Brain tumors produce symptoms and signs which are often non-specific, and therefore they may occur for more than a few months prior to diagnosis. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of referent signs and symptoms among patients referred for stereotactic brain biopsy. Material and Methods. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed medical history of 65 patients (67.7% males and 32.3% females) between the ages of 16 and 81 years. The following symptoms and signs were included in the analysis: organic brain syndrome, lateralization of crossed pyramidal tract, cranial nerve dysfunction, speech disorders, cerebellar-vestibular syndrome, nausea, vomiting, headache, the occurrence of at least one epileptic seizure and respondents? physical weakness. Results. Physical weakness was the most frequent symptom to be recognized (76.9%), whereas pyramidal neurological lateralization was the most commonly recognized sign (58.5%). There was a significant correlation between the course of disease and physical weakness (rho = -0.34, p = 0.005), as well as the course of disease and lateralization of the pyramidal tract (rho = 0.65, p = 0.00). No significant correlation was found between other clinical signs and symptoms. Conclusion. An accurate diagnosis and early recognition of signs and symptoms may be useful in determining indications for stereotactic brain biopsy.