What are the current guidelines for referring patients with suspected metastatic brain tumours to secondary care?

Refer patients with suspected brain metastases for initial diagnostic imaging with a standard structural MRI, unless contraindicated, to confirm the diagnosis ¹.

All intracranial and extracranial diagnostic imaging, and if appropriate, biopsy of extracranial disease, should be performed before referral to the neuro-oncology multidisciplinary team ¹.

Patients should be referred to secondary care once radiologically suspected brain metastases are identified and appropriate imaging has been completed, to facilitate further management and treatment planning ¹.