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    • Brain AVM
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    • Carotid Dissection
    • Carotid Stenosis
    • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
    • Causalgia
    • Cavernous Angioma
    • Cerebral Aneurysms
    • Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
    • Chordomas
    • Chorea
    • Chronic Subdural Hematomas
    • Colloid Cyst
    • Coma
    • Concussion
    • Congenital Dermal Sinus
    • Cranial GunShot Wounds
    • Craniopharyngioma
    • Craniosynostosis
    • Cushing's Disease
    • Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
    • Dandy Walker Syndrome
    • Degenerative Disc Disease
    • Dermoid Tumor
    • Disc Herniation
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    • Hyperhidrosis
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    • Lymphoma
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    • Meningioma Brain Tumor
    • Meralgia Paresthetica
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    • Myelomeningocele
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    • Nelson's Syndrome
    • Neurocysticercosis
    • Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
    • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
    • Oligodendroglioma
    • Optic Nerve Glioma
    • Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
    • Osteoarthritis of the Spine
    • Osteomyelitis
    • Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
    • Parkinsons Syndrome
    • Pediatric Conditions
    • Pediatric Hydrocephalus
    • Peripheral Nerve Injury
    • Phantom Limb Pain
    • Pineal Tumor
    • Pineoblastoma
    • Pineocytoma
    • Platybasia
    • Postherpetic Neuralgia
    • Post-Traumatic Seizures
    • Primary CNS Lymphoma
    • Pseudotumor Cerebri
    • Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
    • Recurrent Adenomas
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Schwannomas
    • Scoliosis
    • Seizure
    • Skull Fracture
    • Slit Ventricle Syndrome
    • Spasticity
    • Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
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UCLA Neurosurgery

Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

Conditions Treated

  • Acoustic Neuroma
  • Adult Tethered Cord
  • Acromegaly
  • Acute Subdural Hematomas
  • Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA)
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Aqueductal Stenosis
  • Arachnoid Cysts
  • Arnold Chiari Malformation
  • Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Astrocytoma
  • Ballism
  • Basilar Invagination
  • Brachial Plexus Injury
  • Brain Aneurysm
  • Brain Attack (Stroke)
  • Brain AVM
  • Brain Conditions
  • Brain Metastases
  • Brainstem Glioma
  • Carotid Dissection
  • Carotid Stenosis
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Causalgia
  • Cavernous Angioma
  • Cerebral Aneurysms
  • Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
  • Chordomas
  • Chorea
  • Chronic Subdural Hematomas
  • Colloid Cyst
  • Coma
  • Concussion
  • Congenital Dermal Sinus
  • Cranial GunShot Wounds
  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Craniosynostosis
  • Cushing's Disease
  • Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
  • Dandy Walker Syndrome
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • Dermoid Tumor
  • Disc Herniation
  • Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
  • Dystonia
  • Ependymoma
  • Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
  • Epidural Hematomas
  • Epilepsy
  • Essential Tremor
  • Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
  • Facet Joint Syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
  • Ganglioglioma
  • Glioblastoma
  • Germinoma
  • Glioma
  • Glomus Jugulare Tumor
  • Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
  • Hemangioblastomas
  • Hemi-Facial Spasm
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Hyperhidrosis
  • Intracerebral Hemorrhage
  • Intracranial Hypotension
  • JPA
  • Low-Grade Astrocytoma
  • Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
  • Lymphoma
  • Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Meningioma Brain Tumor
  • Meralgia Paresthetica
  • Metastatic Brain Tumors
  • Moyamoya Disease
  • Myelomeningocele
  • Myelopathy
  • Nelson's Syndrome
  • Neurocysticercosis
  • Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
  • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
  • Oligodendroglioma
  • Optic Nerve Glioma
  • Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
  • Osteoarthritis of the Spine
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
  • Parkinsons Syndrome
  • Pediatric Conditions
  • Pediatric Hydrocephalus
  • Peripheral Nerve Injury
  • Phantom Limb Pain
  • Pineal Tumor
  • Pineoblastoma
  • Pineocytoma
  • Platybasia
  • Postherpetic Neuralgia
  • Post-Traumatic Seizures
  • Primary CNS Lymphoma
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri
  • Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
  • Recurrent Adenomas
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Schwannomas
  • Scoliosis
  • Seizure
  • Skull Fracture
  • Slit Ventricle Syndrome
  • Spasticity
  • Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Spinal Compression Fractures
  • Spine Conditions
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
  • Spinal Cord Tumors
  • Stenosis
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
  • Syringomyelia
  • Tethered Cord Syndrome
  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
  • Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
  • Torticollis
  • Traumatic Hematomas
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia
  • Trochanteric Bursitis
  • Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
  • Acoustic Neuroma
  • Adult Tethered Cord
  • Acromegaly
  • Acute Subdural Hematomas
  • Anaplastic Astrocytoma (AA)
  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Aqueductal Stenosis
  • Arachnoid Cysts
  • Arnold Chiari Malformation
  • Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Astrocytoma
  • Ballism
  • Basilar Invagination
  • Brachial Plexus Injury
  • Brain Aneurysm
  • Brain Attack (Stroke)
  • Brain AVM
  • Brain Conditions
  • Brain Metastases
  • Brainstem Glioma
  • Carotid Dissection
  • Carotid Stenosis
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Causalgia
  • Cavernous Angioma
  • Cerebral Aneurysms
  • Cerebral Contusion and Intracerebral Hematoma
  • Chordomas
  • Chorea
  • Chronic Subdural Hematomas
  • Colloid Cyst
  • Coma
  • Concussion
  • Congenital Dermal Sinus
  • Cranial GunShot Wounds
  • Craniopharyngioma
  • Craniosynostosis
  • Cushing's Disease
  • Cyst Epidermoid Tumor
  • Dandy Walker Syndrome
  • Degenerative Disc Disease
  • Dermoid Tumor
  • Disc Herniation
  • Dural Arteriovenous Malformations
  • Dystonia
  • Ependymoma
  • Epidermoid Tumor (Cyst)
  • Epidural Hematomas
  • Epilepsy
  • Essential Tremor
  • Extratemporal Lobe Epilepsies
  • Facet Joint Syndrome
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
  • Ganglioglioma
  • Glioblastoma
  • Germinoma
  • Glioma
  • Glomus Jugulare Tumor
  • Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia
  • Hemangioblastomas
  • Hemi-Facial Spasm
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Hyperhidrosis
  • Intracerebral Hemorrhage
  • Intracranial Hypotension
  • JPA
  • Low-Grade Astrocytoma
  • Lymphocytic Hypophysitis
  • Lymphoma
  • Malignant Nerve Sheath Tumors
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Meningioma Brain Tumor
  • Meralgia Paresthetica
  • Metastatic Brain Tumors
  • Moyamoya Disease
  • Myelomeningocele
  • Myelopathy
  • Nelson's Syndrome
  • Neurocysticercosis
  • Neurofibromatosis Type 2 and Schwannomatosis
  • Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus
  • Oligodendroglioma
  • Optic Nerve Glioma
  • Osteoarthritis of the Peripheral Joint
  • Osteoarthritis of the Spine
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures
  • Parkinsons Syndrome
  • Pediatric Conditions
  • Pediatric Hydrocephalus
  • Peripheral Nerve Injury
  • Phantom Limb Pain
  • Pineal Tumor
  • Pineoblastoma
  • Pineocytoma
  • Platybasia
  • Postherpetic Neuralgia
  • Post-Traumatic Seizures
  • Primary CNS Lymphoma
  • Pseudotumor Cerebri
  • Radiculopathy—Cervical & Lumbar (Pinched Nerve)
  • Recurrent Adenomas
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Schwannomas
  • Scoliosis
  • Seizure
  • Skull Fracture
  • Slit Ventricle Syndrome
  • Spasticity
  • Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)
  • Spinal Compression Fractures
  • Spine Conditions
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Spinal Cord Lipomas & Lipomyelomeningoceles
  • Spinal Cord Tumors
  • Stenosis
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
  • Syringomyelia
  • Tethered Cord Syndrome
  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
  • Thyrotroph (TSH) Secreting Adenomas
  • Torticollis
  • Traumatic Hematomas
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia
  • Trochanteric Bursitis
  • Ulnar Nerve Entrapment
  1. Home
  2. Conditions Treated
  3. Ependymoma

Ependymoma

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About Ependymoma Brain Tumor

Ependymomas: Symptoms, Treatment and Diagnosis at UCLA

A pre-operative MRI image

A pre-operative MRI image (above) shows an ependymoma (arrow) in the right lateral ventricle.


The port tract (arrow) is visible on the MRI

The port tract (arrow) is visible on the MRI taken in the Intra-Operative MRI Suite. This MRI shows complete removal of the tumor.


Post-operative MRI

This post-operative MRI (above) confirms image-complete removal of the tumor.

Ependymomas are tumors that arise from a thin layer of cells that line the ventricular walls and central canal of the spinal cord.

Ependymomas are a type of glioma, along with astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma. These tumors can occur anywhere in the brain or spinal cord. The most common site in the brain is at the bottom of the brain near the spinal cord. These tumors have the potential to spread through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to other areas of the nervous system.

Symptoms

  • Common symptoms include headache, nausea/vomiting, ataxia (difficulty with balance) or dizziness.

Diagnosis

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred diagnostic tool, although the diagnosis should be confirmed by microscopic examination of the tumor from a biopsy.

Treatment

  • UCLA offers a multidisciplinary management of ependymomas, with experts in neurosurgery, radiation oncology, and neuro-oncology working closely together to assure the highest quality of care.
    • Surgery
      • Your UCLA neurosurgeon will determine with you how much of the tumor can and should be removed.
      • If the tumor is surgically accessible, a "complete" removal is attempted.
      • An actual tissue biopsy is typically required for definitive diagnosis in nearly all cases.
      • Sometimes, ependymomas are best removed with the aid of intra-operative MRI, allowing the most complete, safest surgery possible.
    • Radiation Therapy
      • Radiation therapy is administered to the tumor bed after surgical removal and if any metastases through the C
        SF are found.
    • Chemotherapy
      • The UCLA Neuro-Oncology Program offers the latest in promising medical therapies available.

The Neuro-ICU cares for patients with all types of neurosurgical and neurological injuries, including stroke, brain hemorrhage, trauma and tumors. We work in close cooperation with your surgeon or medical doctor with whom you have had initial contact. Together with the surgeon or medical doctor, the Neuro-ICU attending physician and team members direct your family member's care while in the ICU. The Neuro-ICU team consists of the bedside nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians in specialty training (Fellows) and attending physicians. UCLA Neuro ICU Family Guide

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