A simple language test, which asks people to name as many animals as they can in 60 seconds, could help identify if people with persistent headaches have a brain tumor.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh found that almost nine out of 10 people who could only think of less than 13 animals at the allotted minute had a tumor.
Those who scored 14 or higher were almost eight times more likely not to have a brain tumor, while poor performance more than tripled the likelihood of a brain tumor being present.
The Noah’s Ark test provides a quick and easy way to mark when there is a tumor to help GPs decide who needs a quick image.
Dr Paul Brennan, lead author and honorary consultant neurosurgeon at the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian, said: tumor is very important.
“It is still difficult to determine which patients with these nonspecific symptoms are most likely to have a brain tumor. Unfortunately, this contributes to significant delays in diagnosis.
“Our study showed that a simple language test, which can be administered quickly and easily, could help GPs decide who is most likely to have a brain tumor.
“Symptomatic patients with low scores could be prioritized for rapid imaging, while other patients with high scores could be monitored as they are more likely to improve.”
The symptoms of brain tumor are vague
More than 12,000 people are diagnosed with a brain tumor in the UK each year, but early detection is still complicated, as symptoms are often vague, such as persistent headaches or coordination problems.
For every 1,000 people who see a GP with a headache, only one or two will have a brain tumor.
The study, which was conducted at Edinburgh Western General Hospital, recruited 270 people over the age of 16 who were asked to test Noah’s ark.
The researchers also evaluated the grade, location, and size of the brain tumor and found that the reduction in performance was most marked in patients with one of the three most aggressive brain tumors: high-grade gliomas, brain lymphomas, and brain metastases.
Patients with high-grade glioma had significantly lower test scores compared to meningioma brain tumors and other intracranial tumors.