Mesothelioma Imaging Scans

To paint a picture of what is going on, doctors will typically use CT scans, MRIs or X-rays as a way of gaining information about what is happening within a patient’s body. This noninvasive technology looks at what kind of diseases the person might have and helps to give doctors an idea of how far a disease has progressed. When a patient begins to experience some of the symptoms associated with mesothelioma, doctors will look into it to understand what is happening. 

Getting a Diagnosis

One of the most critical steps in the process is diagnosing what the patient has. Doctors want to see what is happening within the body, and they can do this through several noninvasive medical tools. Through investigating some of the symptoms and physical conditions, doctors can form a better picture of what is going on with the patient. Unfortunately, there is not any specific test that will give you a definite answer about whether you have mesothelioma or not. Instead, mesothelioma imaging scans were meant to aid in the diagnosis of this cancer, most often caused by asbestos. In this way, they can determine how to best proceed with a treatment plan. 

X-Rays: How They Work

X-rays offer you one of the most basic forms of imaging scans and can sometimes be the first image when mesothelioma is suspected. The biggest downside is this type of image will only produce a two-dimensional picture. Radiation is sent through the body and it develops a picture of what is going on within your body. The average wavelength of X-rays is between 0.01 to 10 nanometers. The calcium within the bone structure will absorb this the most and this causes bones to look white.

CT Scans: How They Work

Another imaging scan which can be used in cases where mesothelioma is suspected is the CT scan. CT scans are specific enough to pinpoint the exact location of cancer. This has become the ideal choice of a tool when it comes to detecting the different cancers from within the body and can aid doctors with finding it because of the incredible level of detail they provide..

MRI Scans: How Do They Work?

To scan the body for cancers, MRI scans employ the use of electromagnetic radiation. A computer will look at the images and scan them to determine what is happening. The advantage of this over X-rays is MRI scans have a much lower risk for harming patients. In contrast, if you were to have an excessive number of X-rays, the electromagnetic radiation could eventually harm you. Like the other imaging tests here, MRI scans also do not hurt.

These are some of the ways your doctor might start with to try to help you. There are a variety of techniques for imaging to help determine a patient’s diagnosis.

Once a diagnosis is made, your doctor will determine the best course of action for treatment.