| Similar with other types of lung cancer, diagnosing | | | | thorough image of body tissues. When you undergo a |
| pleural mesothelioma is such a complex job for | | | | CT scan, you may be given an injection of dye, which |
| doctors since symptoms do not usually take place for | | | | helps produce more concrete images. It may not only |
| some time after primary asbestos exposure. | | | | show the effusion but as well as the presence of |
| Furthermore, since the indications of malignant pleural | | | | pleural masses. |
| mesothelioma are distinctive to many ailments, in the | | | | * Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan - this is a |
| premature stages of the cancer, the symptoms are | | | | highly sensitive scanner that detects the metabolic |
| frequently mistaken for less aggressive diseases such | | | | signal of progressive cancer cells in the body and can |
| as pneumonia and influenza. | | | | help staging the cancer. Glucose solution is being |
| Diagnosing pleural mesothelioma is made partially on | | | | controlled by an intravenous injection. Malignant cells |
| the origin of the symptoms but additional diagnostic | | | | get up and use sugars more quickly than normal cells, |
| tests are needed to confirm the presence of cancer. If | | | | so they can be easily noted using the procedure. |
| the doctor suspects an asbestos-related disease, the | | | | * Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - is a combination |
| next step for the diagnosis is testing to confirm the | | | | of strong magnetic field and radio waves and is much |
| presence of this asbestos cancer, verify the location, | | | | more sensitive in determining chest wall invasion and |
| size and type of the cancer involved, and to know | | | | the multiplication of the disease. It is also used to |
| whether the cancer has already spread to the other | | | | create detailed three-dimensional images that can be |
| parts of the body. | | | | warily examined by a radiologist. |
| Typical imaging tests involved are the: | | | | After diagnosing pleural mesothelioma, your physician |
| * X- ray - most commonly used imaging test for the | | | | will generally recommend an oncologist, a cancer |
| diagnosis of mesothelioma. | | | | specialist, who is well versed in treating the disease |
| * Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan - it is an | | | | and who will help determine the best alternative for |
| x-ray like procedure in which numerous x-ray pictures | | | | your mesothelioma treatment. |
| are taken and combined with a computer to create a | | | | |