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The Preliminary Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
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Detailed Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
By by preliminary diagnosis techniques, the presence of lung cancer can either be confirmed or discounted. If lung cancer is confirmed afterwards further thorough diagnosis and tests need to be carried out to identify the extent of the disease while appropriate treatment is undertaken to combat the affliction.
Once the diagnosis for lung cancer (or any other cancer) has been confirmed, the next step is for the doctor to determine the stage of the cancer and how far it has stretch.
Staging is used to discover whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body and, if so where. This detailed diagnosis is very important for determining the best possible options and strategies for treatment.
Cancer can often spread to other parts of the body. Lung cancer is notorious for spreading to the brain and/or bones. By knowing at what stage and level of the disease their enduring has reached, doctors can use this in sequence to put into practice the best possible treatment for their patient.
Some tests used to determine whether the cancer has spread include:
¢ Computed Tomography Scan (CAT or CT scan): A CAT scan is done using a pc related to an x-ray machine which creates a string of detailed pictures of areas inside the body.
CAT scans are capable of detecting extremely small tumours and enable the doctor to determine if the tumour has spread to lymph nodes.
¢ Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): An MRI scan is done by a computer which is linked to a powerful magnet. This is able to create very clear images of specific remains parts. The images produced show the presence of tumours in any of the tissues, bones and other body parts which may be affected.
¢ Radionuclide Scanning: For this scan, the patient has to gulp down or be given an injection of a slightly radioactive substance. A short time later, a scanner measures and records the stage of radioactivity in specific organs.
This can reveal irregular areas inside the body because cancerous tissue and normal in good physical shape hankie suck up the radioactive material at unlike rates. This scanning can show whether cancer has spread to other organs, such as the liver.
¢ Bone Scan: is a Radionuclide Scan which discovers whether the cancer has extended to specific bones of the body. A small amount of radioactive substance is injected into a seam, which then moves through the bloodstream and collects where there are areas of irregular bone growth. A scanner will then measure the radiation grade in these country and records them onto an x-ray film.
¢ Mediastinoscopy: A Mediastinoscopy assists in showing whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the chest. An apparatus, called a scope, is inserted through a small incision in the neck, allowing a doctor to examine the upper stiff (mediastinum) and the nearby lymph nodes and collect and retrieve small samples of tissue. To ease the pain / uneasiness, a general anaesthetic is given to the patient.
¢ Mediastinotomy: same as Mediastinoscopy (above), but the scope is inserted through an incision made in the chest to a certain extent than the neck.
¢ Antielectron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan: PET Scans resolve if the tumour has spread to other parts of the body. Before undergoing a PET scan the radiographer or doctor administers a special type of sugar. This is because cells use sugar for energy to enable them to function. They then produce heat as they smoulder the sugar.
Melanoma cells tend to be more active, so they use more sugar and produce greater heat than normal cells. PET Scans identify "hot spots" throughout the body, enabling the doctor to determine the location of any cancer.
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