Lung Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma Cancer : The doctor may also request an MRI (magnetic reso­nance image). An MRI uses radio waves and strong magnets along with a computer to form detailed images of the body. The MRI can occasionally give the doctor information about whether the diaphragm or chest wall have become involved and if the tumor has invaded through it. Not all mesothelioma specialists use MRIs in their workup. A PET scan (positron emission tomography scan) is a relatively new type of scan that shows how the body takes up and uses glucose (sugar). Tumors, cancer cells, and areas that are inflamed or infected use glucose at a higher rate than normal tissues do. Since a radioactive tracer is attached to the glucose injected into your body, the areas which use glucose at a higher rate (i.e. tumors) will hold onto the radioactive tracer longer than normal cells. Areas on PET scans that “light up” as bright spots are abnormal. It is important to know, however, that abnormal areas on PET scans are not necessarily cancerous; they can also be the result of inflammation. The PET scan can also give the doctor information as to whether the cancer has spread outside the original area to other parts of the body, and it may pick up areas of spread that are completely unexpected. Mesothelioma Cancer

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There have not been enough large studies that prove the usefulness of this scan in mesothelioma, and therefore it has not been approved by most insurance companies as a standard test for mesothelioma, as it has been for lung cancer. However, there are mechanisms that can help pay for PET scans that doctors who do them (nuclear medicine physicians) can help you with. Ask them about these programs. A patient with a large, unexplained fluid accumulation in the chest or abdomen and who has a small or moder­ate amount of thickening of the pleura should have a biopsy performed, using semi-invasive techniques (tech­niques that require only local anesthesia and that do not involve cutting into the chest or abdomen). For exam­ple, the biopsy might involve an initial thoracentesis (drainage of fluid in the chest) or paracentesis (drainage of fluid in the abdomen) and a pleural biopsy. These are relatively safe procedures that can be performed by a pulmonologist (lung physician), a radiologist, or a sur­geon. A local anesthetic (a numbing medicine such as lidocaine) is given to temporarily reduce the feeling in the area before the needle is inserted. Mesothelioma Cancer

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A pleural biopsy with a special needle may help in get­ting a diagnosis of mesothelioma, and it is generally performed by a pulmonologist. Since mesothelioma is usually diffuse (widely scattered) in the chest, a ran­dom sample of the pleura may give tissue with mesothelioma cells in it. A thoracentesis can be performed after the pleural biopsy is completed. The doctor inserts a needle into the pocket of fluid in the chest or abdomen to draw off some of the fluid. Many times, the needle is simply used to insert a flexible catheter (a tube the size of thin spaghetti) which is then used to draw off the fluid. After the fluid is drawn out through this catheter, the catheter is removed.

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Mesothelioma Cancer