children s health issues
Retinoblastoma
Diagnosis of Retinoblastoma
Looking into the eye with a special instrument while the child is under anesthesia Ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and sometimes optical coherence tomography Sometimes a bone scan, examination of bone marrow, and spinal tap If a doctor suspects a retinoblastoma, the child is given a General anesthesia , which makes the child lose consciousness, and both eyes are examined. A light and a special lens (indirect ophthalmoscopy) are used to look through the lens and iris at the retina. A general anesthetic is necessary because small children are not able to cooperate during the careful, time-consuming examination required to diagnose retinoblastoma. The cancer can also be identified by ultrasonography, Computed Tomography (CT) , or Doctors may also do a Spinal Tap (lumbar puncture) to look for cancer cells in a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. Finding cancer cells in this fluid is further evidence that the cancer has spread to the brain. Because the cancer can spread to the bones or bone marrow, a Bone scanning may be done and a sample of Children who have retinoblastoma should see a genetic specialist and have genetic testing. The specialist can then advise parents whether other family members are at risk and whether any other tests should be done. Typically, if children have a hereditary retinoblastoma gene, their parents and brothers and sisters should also be tested for the mutated gene. Siblings who have the mutated gene should have their eyes examined for retinoblastoma beginning at birth and continuing every 4 months until they are 4 years old. If genetic testing is not available, all children who have a parent or sibling who had retinoblastoma should have the same regular eye examinations. Adult family members of a child with retinoblastoma also need to have an eye examination. Even though adults will not develop retinoblastoma, the gene that causes retinoblastoma can also cause a noncancerous (benign) eye tumor called retinocytoma. 