Jovanović, Aleksa (58582353500)Aleksa (58582353500)JovanovićIlić, Rosanda (56688276500)Rosanda (56688276500)IlićPudrlja Slović, Marija (57368912600)Marija (57368912600)Pudrlja SlovićParipović, Lejla (55342754900)Lejla (55342754900)ParipovićJanić, Dragana (15729368500)Dragana (15729368500)JanićNikitović, Marina (6602665617)Marina (6602665617)NikitovićGrujičić, Danica (7004438060)Danica (7004438060)GrujičićIlić, Vesna (58717187600)Vesna (58717187600)Ilić2025-06-122025-06-122023https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-023-05958-5https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85153485197&doi=10.1007%2fs00381-023-05958-5&partnerID=40&md5=ad18be86d625afcaf7ce0aaaba1eb38ahttps://remedy.med.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2522Purpose: The aim was to evaluate the total diagnostic interval (TDI) and presenting complaints in children with brain tumours in Serbia. Methods: This study retrospectively analysed 212 children aged 0–18 years newly diagnosed with brain tumours in two tertiary centres from mid-March 2015 to mid-March 2020 covering virtually all children with brain tumours in Serbia. TDI was calculated as the difference between the date of diagnosis and the date of symptom onset presented as a median in weeks. This variable has been evaluable for 184 patients. Results: Overall TDI was 6 weeks. TDI was significantly longer in patients with low-grade tumours (11 weeks) than in patients with high-grade tumours (4 weeks). Children with the most frequent complaints (headache, nausea/vomiting and gait disturbance) were more likely to be diagnosed sooner. Patients with a single complaint had significantly longer TDI (12.5 weeks) contrasted to patients with multiple complaints (5 weeks). Conclusion: TDI with a median of 6 weeks is similar to other developed countries. Our study supports the view that low-grade tumours will present later than high-grade tumours. Children with the commonest complaints and children with multiple complaints were more likely to be diagnosed sooner. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.Age-depended symptomsGait disturbanceHeadacheNausea/vomiting