Synonyms in a broader sense
meningeal tumor, tumor of the meninges, brain tumor
Definition Meningioma
Meningeomas are benign tumors that originate from the meninges. The meninges surround the brain and spinal cord like a kind of protective cover. They grow displacing.
As they are limited in their growth on one side by bones, they press on the brain tissue. However, they are not brain tumors because they have their starting point at the meninges. Characteristic for the menigeoma is the slow growth rate. Therefore, the symptoms of the affected persons develop only very gradually.
Summary
A meningioma is a tumor of the meninges, which are usually benign and occur spontaneously. They grow very slowly over years and can be easily separated from the brain tissue. In most cases, the tumor does not grow into the brain tissue and does not spread.
It represents the most common intracranial (located inside the skull) tumors. The exact cause is still unknown today. The symptoms of the affected patients are broadly diversified and depend on the location of the tumor.
The tumor can occur in the skull, but also in the spinal canal (spinal canal). Symptoms range from changes in nature, to loss of sensation in the skin, to paraplegia. The diagnosis is made by means of CT (computer tomography) or MRI of the head (magnetic resonance tomography).
Both are imaging procedures in which the images are taken in layers. The therapy of the symptomatic meningioma consists of surgical removal. In about 15% of patients, the tumor develops again after surgery. This is medically referred to as recurrence.
Occurrence in the population (epidemiology)
The meningioma is the most common intracranial (inside the skull) tumor. They account for about 25% of all tumorous masses inside the skull. The peak frequency of the disease is between the ages of 40 and 70. Women are affected twice as often as men. Every year, about 6 out of 100,000 people fall ill.
