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SCT is most often diagnosed while the newborn is still in utero with an ultrasound. Your doctor may refer you to get an MRI in addition to this once diagnosed. For toddlers or (in rare cases) adults with suspected SCT, it is diagnosed with an MRI. In blood work, elevated levels of AFP (alpha fetal proteins) are tumor markers and another way of diagnosing and monitoring the tumor.
There are 3 types of tumors classified by their relative extent inside and outside the body:
Altman type I — entirely outside, sometimes attached to the body only by a narrow stalk
Altman type II — mostly outside
Altman type III — mostly inside
Altman type IV — entirely inside; this is also known as a presacral teratoma or retrorectal teratoma
The type can change over time as the tumor grows, and is significant when managing of labor and delivery, the surgical approach, and further complications.