Follow-up for Cerebellar Astrocytomas in Children

Frequency of Office Visits

• Follow-up: Follow-up is typically with the neurosurgeon only.  Oncology referral is not necessary. The initial office visit is typically for suture removal when the patient has been discharged from the hospital within days of the surgery.
• Subsequent office visits: Commonly the patient is seen after the first postoperative scan done 3 months after surgery. Subsequent office visits will occur after scheduled MRIs.

Frequency of Imaging

• First scan at 3 months after resection: MRI scan of the brain is repeated 3 months after surgery. 
• Yearly follow-up scans: If the initial, 3-month post-resection MRI shows no evidence of disease, MRI typically is repeated 6 months later and then yearly.