MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
An MRI is a procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, such as the eye. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
Lumbar Puncture
A lumbar puncture is a procedure used to collect cerebrospinal fluid from the spinal column. This is done by placing a needle into the spinal column. This procedure is also called an LP or spinal tap. A lumbar puncture may be done if tests show that the cancer may have spread out of the eye.
Specific Retinoblastoma Stages
There are several staging systems for
retinoblastoma. For treatment, the most common staging system classifies the cancer as either intraocular (within the eye) or extraocular (outside the eye). A cancer that has returned is classified as recurrent.
Intraocular Retinoblastoma
With intraocular retinoblastoma, cancer is in the eye but has not spread to tissues around the outside of the eye or to other parts of the body.
Extraocular Retinoblastoma
With extraocular retinoblastoma, the cancer has spread beyond the eye. It may be in tissues around the eye, or it may have spread to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) or to other parts of the body.
Recurrent Retinoblastoma
Recurrent retinoblastoma is cancer that has come back after it has been treated. The cancer may recur in the eye, in tissues around the eye, or in other places in the body. Tumors that were not treated with radiation therapy or surgery commonly recur, usually within six months.
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