Diagnostic Radiology Imaging tests used in cancer

Imaging tests create pictures of areas inside the body that help the doctor see whether a tumor is present. These pictures can be made in several ways.

CT scan

A CT scan uses x-rays to take a series of pictures of body organs from different angles. These pictures are used to create detailed 3-D volume of the organ to be well viewed and diagnosed.

Sometimes, the patient may receive a dye or other contrast material before the scan whether oral or injected into the vein. Contrast material helps make the pictures easier to read by highlighting certain areas in the body.

MRI

An MRI uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to take pictures of the body in slices. These slices are combined to create detailed images of the inside of the body, which can show places where there may be tumors.

The patient can take a special contrast agent dye injected into the vein before or during the MRI exam. This dye, can make tumors show up brighter in the pictures.

Nuclear scan

A nuclear scan uses radioactive material to take pictures of the inside of the body.

Before this scan, the patient receive an injection of minimal amount of radioactive material. It flows through the bloodstream and collects in certain bones or organs.

After the scan, the radioactive material in the body will lose its radioactivity over time through a process called half life time of the radioactive material. It may also leave the body through the urine or stool.

Bone scan

Bone scans are a type of nuclear scan that check for abnormal areas or damage in the bones. They may be used to diagnose bone cancer or find out whether cancer has spread to the bones from elsewhere in the body (called metastatic bone tumors).

Before this test, a very small amount of radioactive material is injected into the vein of the patient. As it travels through the blood, the material collects in abnormal areas in the bone. Areas where the material collects show up on pictures taken by a special scanner. These areas are called “hot spots.”

PET scan

A PET scan is a type of nuclear scan that makes detailed 3-D pictures of areas inside the body where glucose is taken up. Because cancer cells often take up more glucose than healthy cells, the pictures can be used to find cancer in the body.

Before the scan, the patient receive an injection of a tracer called radioactive glucose.

Normally PET scan is combined with CT scan to provide PET / CT scan which is very effective in detecting tumors .

Ultrasound

An ultrasound exam uses high-energy sound waves in a frequency spectrum that people cannot hear. The sound waves echo off tissues inside the body. A computer uses these echoes to create pictures of areas inside the body. This picture is called a sonogram.

During an ultrasound exam, patients will lie on a table while a technologist slowly moves a device called a transducer, which makes the high-energy sound waves, on the skin over the part of the body that is being examined. The transducer is covered with a warm gel that helps it glide over the skin.

X-ray

X-rays use doses of radiation to create pictures inside the body. An x-ray technologist will orient the patient in position and direct the x-ray beam to the correct part of the body.

Biopsy Procedure

In most cases, doctors need to do a biopsy to be certain that the patient have cancer. A biopsy is a procedure in which the doctor removes a sample of abnormal tissue. A pathologist looks at the tissue under a microscope and runs other tests on the cells in the sample. The pathologist describes the findings in a pathology report, which contains details about the diagnosis. The biopsy sample may be obtained in several ways.

Using a needle: The doctor uses a needle to withdraw tissue or fluid. This method is used for bone marrow aspirations, spinal taps, and some breast, prostate, and liver biopsies , patient can go home same day .

Using endoscopy: The doctor inserts a thin, lighted tube called an endoscope into a natural body opening such as the colon, trachea, bronchi, and lungs, such as the mouth or anus. The doctor can remove some or all of the abnormal tissue through the endoscope.

Using surgery: A surgeon removes an area of abnormal cells during an operation. Surgery may be excisional or incisional.

In an excisional biopsy, the surgeon removes the entire area of abnormal cells. Often some of the normal tissue around these cells is also removed. In an incisional biopsy, the surgeon removes just part of the abnormal area. patients may stay at hospital for procedures to finish.

Biopsies may require sedation or anesthesia.

Sedatives are medicine that helps you relax and stay very still or sleep during a biopsy while anesthesia keeps you from feeling pain. It refers to drugs or other substances that cause you to lose feeling or awareness. There are three types of anesthesia.