Diagnosis

Your GP should refer your child to a specialist if they show the more common symptoms of neuroblastoma, like a lump in their tummy or a swollen tummy.

You will see a specialist children's doctor, called a paediatrician. Depending on your child's diagnosis, you may also see a paediatric oncologist - a specialist children and young person's cancer doctor.

What tests are done to check for neuroblastoma?

If one of these doctors suspects that your child may have neuroblastoma there will be a number of confirmatory tests that will need to be done to confirm a diagnosis and help determine the best way to treat the child. These include urine tests - to check for compounds that are secreted by the neuroblastoma, and ultrasound, CT and MRI scans. 

Another diagnostic scan that is used is called MIBG (metaiodobenzyl guanidine) which is a radioactive molecule, given in an injection, which attaches to neuroblastoma cells and then makes them visible when scanned.

Called a biopsy, your child's doctor might want to take a sample of something seen on a scan. This is usually a small sample of cells taken using a needle.

There may also be checks to see if the neuroblastoma has spread to the bones by taking bone marrow samples. This is called a bone marrow biopsy.

Your child may have more than one test on the same day. While they aren't painful, they will have to keep still for them.