Diagnosis
Usually – depending on the interview of the patient and after a clinical exam which includes a neurological exam and an ophthalmological exam – a CT scan and/or an MRI scan will be performed to confirm the presence of a tumor. They are usually easily distinguishable from normal brain structures using these imaging techniques. A special dye may be injected into a vein before these scans to provide contrast and make tumors easier to identify. Pilocytic astrocytomas are typically clearly visible on such scans, but it is often difficult to say based on imaging alone what type of tumor is present. If a tumor is found, it will be necessary for a neurosurgeon to perform a biopsy of it. This involves the removal of a small amount of tumorous tissue, which is then sent to a (neuro)pathologist for examination and staging. The biopsy may take place before surgical removal of the tumor, or the sample may be taken during surgery to remove the bulk of the tumor. Microscopic appearance
Pilocytic astrocytomas are often cystic tumors, and, if solid, tend to be well-circumscribed. Under the microscope, the tumor is seen to be composed of bipolar cells with long "hair-like" GFAP-positive processes, giving the designation "pilocytic" (that is, made up of cells that look like fibers when viewed under a microscope). Some pilocytic astrocytomas may be more fibrillary and dense in composition. The presence of Rosenthal fibers, eosinophilic granular bodies, and microcysts can often be seen.
Some time later, Anka had a dinner in Florida with Frank Sinatra and "a couple of Mob guys" during which Sinatra said: "Im quitting the business. Im sick of it; Im getting the hell out." Back in New York, Anka re-wrote the original French song for Sinatra, subtly altering the melodic structure and changing the lyrics: At one oclock in the morning, I sat down at an old IBM electric typewriter and said, If Frank were writing this, what would he say? And I started, metaphorically, And now the end is near. I read a lot of periodicals, and I noticed everything was my this and my that. We were in the me generation and Frank became the guy for me to use to say that. I used words I would never use: I ate it up and spit it out. But thats the way he talked. I used to be around steam rooms with the Rat Pack guys—they liked to talk like Mob guys, even though they would have been scared of their own shadows. Anka finished the song at 5 in the morning: "I called Frank up in Nevada—he was at Caesars Palace – and said, Ive got something really special for you." Anka asserted: "When my record company caught wind of it, they were very pissed that I didnt keep it for myself. I said, Hey, I can write it, but Im not the guy to sing it. It was for Frank, no one else.