« Mesomark blood test | Home | Nutrition for mesothelioma patients »
Non-invasive procedures
By Eden Ali | June 20, 2007
Non-invasive tests which are usually carried out to help in the mesothelioma diagnosis and staging of malignant mesothelioma are as follows:
1. Blood test.
Several blood tests may be carried out, for determining whether mesothelioma patients is prone to anaemia, if there is a normal platelet level, if there are any chemical imbalances in the body, or whether indications show if the mesothelioma cancers have spread to other parts of the body.
2. Additional imaging studies.
This mesothelioma diagnosis procedures include CT (computerized tomography) and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) which take cross-sectional pictures to further show abnormalities observed on plain x-ray. Mesothelioma patients are needed to lie in very big structures in tube forms while x-rays (CT) or magnetic fields (MRI) are directed at the part of concern. It is painless, but can be highly disturbing, particularly if mesothelioma patients are claustrophobic. MRI procedure can also be very noisy.
3. Ultrasonography.
This mesothelioma diagnosis imploys the use of sound waves to view internal organ and can be used to distinguish a pleural effusion and lead a biopsy.
4. Bone scan.
This is used to ascertain local or distant bony invasion by mesothelioma cancers. This commonly involves giving patients injection of a short time active radioactive substance that goes to the sites of a sizeable bone turnover (that happens with spread of mesothelioma cancers to the bones). Images are now gotten using a distinct camera which indicates parts of cancerous spread. The other forms of radioactive imaging have some times been used to distinguish between asbestos-associated benign from malignant pleural disease.
5. Lung function test.
This often times needs mesothelioma patients to blow air into a particular instrument, from which several analysis can be derived to ascertain the functionality of the lungs.
Topics: Mesothelioma treatment ways |