Diagnosing Mesothelioma
When an individual suspects that their cough or constant stomach ache may be a sign of something more serious, it’s easy to put off going to a doctor. After all, such symptoms are fairly common and could mean nothing more than a respiratory inflammation or a minor intestinal flare-up due to stress. But when they continue to annoy, and they don’t appear to lessen, a person can become concerned-especially if the person has been exposed to the toxic properties of asbestos, the material that has been in the news a lot lately due to causing the fatal malignancy, mesothelioma.
By now, almost everyone is aware that even the slightest contact with asbestos may have been enough for the microscopic fibers to have entered their lungs and become wedged in there for decades. With the latency period of 3-40 years, it’s been only recently that cases and lawsuits are becoming public. Based on this, it’s understandable that folks may not want to face the possibility that they, too, may be victims.
Step One
Yet, most realize that if they do have mesothelioma, they must move quickly to halt the spread of the disease. The first step is to make an appointment with the family physician, who will handle the visit in a routine manner. The patient will fill out paperwork, answer questions regarding symptoms and their duration and amount of discomfort, and have their vital signs checked. Upon notifying the doctor about past asbestos exposure, the patient may be given a lung test to determine if their breathing capacity is compromised, and then an exam will be done to check the patient’s overall condition. At this point, the doctor usually sends the person for a standard X-ray and pulmonary procedures, which will uncover anything suspicious that may require additional testing.
Step Two
Step two involves the study of the basic X-ray by the technician and doctor. It will show any unusual spots that could be tumors, spaces in the lung lobes, thickening of the lung lining due to calcification (mineral accumulation) and fluid. Should anything appear to be abnormal, the patient usually is sent to get a CT scan, which stands for computer topography. It is a sophisticated imaging system that provides a two dimensional view from multiple X–rays of tissue and bone thicknesses, enabling the doctors to have a better idea of what is happening in the patient’s lung or stomach. Rotating 180 degrees around a patient’s body, detailed images are delivered, and identification of mesothelioma tumors and pleural effusions (fluid) can easily be made. A CT scan is done at a facility or hospital, needs no patient preparation or anesthesia, and allows him or her to lie on a table for its duration of 20-60 minutes.
Step Three
If the results of the CT scan still were not conclusive enough, the doctor may request an MRI scan, which stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It is a more complicated imaging test, using powerful magnets and radio waves. The results are three dimensional, cross-sectioned images that are detailed, clear, and accurate. It is especially useful for patients with lung cancer, or those who are already diagnosed with mesothelioma and awaiting surgery, because it can reflect where the disease may have spread. It also requires no preparation or anesthesia and is painless. The patient lies on a table while the machine moves around them. Although the testing can be quite noisy, many patients fall asleep during the 30-90 minute test. If a fear of closed in spaces exists, a sedative can be given, or the patient can go to a facility that offers open MRI scans.
In some cases, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans are also used, which rely on cameras and tracers to show images of very small malignancies. Such technology offers greater detail than MRI scans, and is very useful when tumors are located in hard to reach locations.
Step Four
With any assumed diagnosis of cancer, physicians perform one final test-a biopsy on either fluid or tissue. With potential mesothelioma patients, fluid biopsies are usually completed first due to the relative ease in obtaining a sample. (A long, thin needle is inserted into the lung lining and fluid is extracted under local anesthetic.) However, due to the sense of urgency that accompanies this disease, other doctors forgo it, opting for the more conclusive tissue biopsy. If a laparoscopy or thoracoscopy is requested, the patient will receive an incision under local anesthesia, and a small camera will be inserted into their body, which will send back images and allow the doctors to remove a small piece of tissue. The other method is to perform an open lung biopsy, which requires general anesthesia and carries the surgical risks. Some patients will also need a chest tube to prevent lung collapse for a few days. Medical professionals believe this method offers the best tissue samples and most accurate diagnosis of the condition of the patient.
Tissue samples and/or fluids are examined by pathologists under microscopes for an evaluation of the growth rate and the strength of suspected cancerous tumor. Most patients will not receive the result for several days or longer, but can be ensured of the tests’ thoroughness and accuracy. Such awareness, as well as detailed data, will allow medical personnel to proceed in the best possible ways to help the patient fight mesothelioma. For information about mesothelioma and treatment, please see “Mesothelioma Overview” and Mesothelioma Treatment Overview.”
Sources:
http://www.mesotheliomamedical.com/resources/what-is-mesothelioma/diagnosing-mesothelioma.html
http://www.mesotheliomasite.com/diagnosis/diagnosis_imaging.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.org/mesothelioma/diagnosis.html
http://www.maacenter.org/mesothelioma/diagnosis.php
