Your child's health care team

Dr. Stewart Goldman's life and career as a pediatric neuro-oncologist are chronicled. Watch video »

Children with brain tumors typically require the consultation of a variety of pediatric specialists. In addition to those listed below, experts from anesthesia, endocrinology, ophthalmology, nursing, social work, and rehabilitative services work with patients and their families.

Pediatric neurosurgery

Only six pediatric neurosurgeons in Illinois are certified by the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery; three of those six are on staff in Children's Memorial's Division of Neurosurgery. This fact helps makes Children's Memorial the treatment center of choice for many families.

Pediatric neuro-oncology

Our Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases is the region's largest provider of services for all forms of cancer. The neuro-oncology program is a national referral center for novel treatment of brain and spinal tumors in children and young adults. The hospital also participates in many national trials through the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortiume (PBTC) and is a major referral center for clinical trials through the national Children's Oncology Group (COG), allowing our neuro-oncology team to provide treatments in the care of children with brain tumors.

Pediatric radiation oncology

Children who need radiation therapy use state-of-the-art facilities at the Radiation Oncology Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The pediatric program, directed by Maryanne Marymont, MD, gives patients access to the most advanced radiotherapy technology, such as Gamma knife and linear accelerator system.

Pediatric neuroradiology

The proper diagnosis is the first step toward the best possible treatment of children with brain tumors, and the neuroradiologists at Children's Memorial in the Department of Medical Imaging, who have many years of experience in pediatrics, offer virtually every known state-of-the-art diagnostic test available, many of which are fully staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. Important testing provided by medical imaging includes MRI, CT, nuclear medicine scans, and more.

Only six pediatric neurosurgeons in Illinois are certified by the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery; three of the six are on staff at Children's Memorial.

MRI studies at Children's Memorial are essential in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors. MRI is an important tool for close monitoring of tumors as well as specialized testing such as MR angiography, MR spectroscopy, MR flow study, functional MRI, tractography, imaging for neuro-navigation during surgery and more. These advanced diagnostic imaging techniques which are not readily available in other medical centers help precise localization and nature of brain tumor and lead us to the most appropriate treatment plan.

Pediatric neuropsychology

Within the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, experts in neuropsychology under the direction of Frank Zelko, PhD, evaluate relevant academic, behavioral, and emotional situations that may be related to a child's brain tumor and treatment. Intervention suggestions and consultation are provided, with an emphasis upon appropriate school programming. Neuropsychological evaluations also can help identify possible "delayed" effects of a child's brain tumor and treatment.

Pediatric neuropathology

Much of what is known about brain tumors depends on the skills of professionals not often recognized by the public — those of pediatric pathologists, the highly trained specialists in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine who perform studies of all kinds on the tumor specimens sent to them for analysis.

The department's histology lab is equipped to handle immunohistochemical and electron microscopic studies, as well as molecular diagnostic work-ups on a routine basis. Since 1990, more than 3,000 tumor specimens have been catalogued in a computer data base and stored at minus 70 degrees C.

Family Services

Families have access to numerous resources and experts in Family Services, including experienced child life specialists, social workers, chaplains and support from other parents through the ParentWise program.