Pages

RSS

Diagnosing Mesothelioma: MRI


Mesothelioma is not always an easy disease to diagnosis, especially if the patient is unsure about his or her past exposure to asbestos. The symptoms of mesothelioma can be very similar to those of other diseases that affect the lungs and respiratory system and can easily be confused with those diseases or disorders. A definitive link to asbestos, however, is usually the factor that helps doctors make the diagnosis along with a variety of testing.

An x-ray is almost always the first step towards making the diagnosis, but an x-ray - the least sophisticated form of diagnostic imaging available - is often not precise enough to make a definitive determination. A sure-fire diagnosis usually involves at least one other form of diagnostic imaging, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging, more simply known as the MRI.
 
What is an MRI?

Magnetic Resonance Imaging, originally known as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging, is a medical imaging technique that provides very detailed images of any part of the body. More sophisticated than the CT scan, the use of MRIs began in the mid 1970s and the scans are still an important diagnostic tool today, especially in the diagnosis of cancer.

By use of a powerful magnetic field, the MRI clearly shows the contrast of different soft tissues in the body. By changing exam parameters, the MRI can cause these tissues to take on different appearances. When this occurs, the radiologist who is observing the MRI can simply tell whether something inside the body is abnormal by the way it appears on the screen.

Unlike other diagnostic procedures, the MRI does not rely on radiation, making it an even safer procedure than most. Instead, when the body is inside the machine, radio waves redirect the axes of spinning protons, which are the nuclei of hydrogen atoms, in a strong magnetic field. This field is produced by allowing an electrical current to pass through wire coils inside the machine. Other coils that encircle the body send and receive radio waves, producing signals that are received by a computer. The signals generate images that each show a thin "slice" of the body. These images are then interpreted by a radiologist experienced in reading MRI results.

What to Expect ?
 

While the idea of having an MRI may make an individual nervous, mainly because they are frightened about what the doctor will find, there is nothing scary or painful about the MRI itself. This totally painless procedure is simple and is usually accomplished within just an hour or two at a hospital or some other sort of imaging center. Knowing what to expect helps the whole process go more smoothly and greatly reduces any fear.

Little needs to be done to prepare for an MRI. Some eating and drinking guidelines may apply before the test but, usually, patients may eat and drink as usual and may take their daily medications. In some cases, you may be asked to swallow a contrast dye, known as gandolinium. Fortunately, this dye does not contain iodine, which can cause an allergic reaction. Some health issues preclude the use of a contrast dye, so always be sure your doctor knows if you have kidney disease or other serious disorders.

When you arrive, you'll most likely need to fill out some paperwork and be asked to identify anything in your body that that may contain metal, like cochlear implants or screws or pins placed during surgery for broken limbs, etc. You'll be asked to remove jewelry and other metal items.

Once all paperwork is reviewed and appropriate items are removed, you'll be ready to begin. In the scanning room, patients are asked to lie on a large table. The technician will see that you're comfortable before the procedure begins. Once you are ready to begin, the technician will slide the table into the machine and leave the room.

At that point, the test starts. Usually, it is broken up into several different sequences, and the technician, who can still communicate with you, will tell you how long each will last - generally no longer than about 2 or 3 minutes. During that time, patients will hear banging noises, which is a normal part of the procedure and does not indicate any troubles. The entire test can range from 15 minutes to a few hours. When all is complete, the table will slide back out.

Some people get claustrophobic while undergoing an MRI, especially if it's a long procedure. This can be solved in a few different ways. First of all, your doctor can prescribe a mild sedative if you let him/her know in advance that you have an issue with claustrophobia. Secondly, some facilities offer open MRI machines that reduce that closed-in feeling. Some MRI machines have music piped in to help patients relax. Also, the technician may offer ear plugs to reduce noise.
 
After the MRI

Individuals undergoing an MRI should feel normal after the procedure though if contrast dye is used, it may cause temporary flushing or other minor reactions until it leaves the body.

Patients do not receive immediate results from an MRI. Technicians are not qualified or permitted to interpret images and cannot and should not offer any comments to the patient. The images will be viewed by a licensed radiologist and that individual will send results to the patient's doctor, who will then call to set up an appointment to review them.

If the MRI does show that mesothelioma is present, your doctor will refer you to an oncologist - a cancer doctor - who will instruct you on your options for treatment.
Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks?

There are many benefits to undergoing MRI in the diagnosis of mesothelioma and other diseases. First of all, it does not expose patients to radiation as do other diagnostic procedures and the contrast dye used in MRIs is much safer than that used for CT scans. Furthermore, it is the most likely of all imaging tests to identify abnormalities and focal lesions on soft-tissue structures of the body, including the heart, liver, and other organs. 


Read More..
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

Diagnosing Mesothelioma: CT Scans


YSCZUU2KYSTS
During the mesothelioma diagnostic process, patients will undergo a variety of medical imaging procedures. One such imaging exam is a CT scan, which provides highly detailed information about the type of disease that is involved and how far it has advanced.

Along with the results of other tests, such as PET scan, MRI scan, and x-ray, the results of a CT scan are used by cancer doctors to diagnose and stage the cancer. This information is used to determine the best and most appropriate course of cancer treatment, and to provide a prognosis, which is a general idea of how doctors expect the disease to progress. CT scans and other tests may be carried out after diagnosis. In these cases the tests are used to determine how effective your current treatment is.

The CT Scan Procedure

A CT scan is almost like an x-ray, in that a series of several separate x-ray images are taken during the procedure. However, the major difference is that a CT scan takes a large number of images, rather than just one or two. Using a CT scan to take many different images allows technicians and doctors to construct a three-dimensional image of the inside of the body.

If you undergo a CT scan you may be given an intravenous injection of dye that helps produce a more detailed picture by increasing the contrast of the images that are taken. The injection might be slightly uncomfortable, but unless you have an unexpected allergic reaction to the dye that is used, there is no danger.

In some cases you may receive a CT scan at the same time as another procedure called a PET scan. Carrying out both tests at the same time allows specialists to get additional information about the location of mesothelioma and whether it has spread to other locations.
Test Results

In most cases, test results for a CT scan will be available within a few days. The scan images are interpreted by a doctor who is specialized in reading the detailed images produced by CT equipment. After the results have been read, your doctor will receive a summary of the findings and will review the results with you and what they mean.

Read More..
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

Mesothelioma Imaging Scans

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that affects, in most cases, those with long-term exposure to asbestos fibers. This kind of cancer is typically hard to diagnose because the mesothelioma symptoms displayed in the patient are similar to a number of other illnesses and conditions. For this reason, it is important to use advanced imaging technology to assist with proper diagnosis.
Diagnosing Mesothelioma with Imaging Scans

Because the symptoms match those of many other diseases, mesothelioma can be difficult to diagnose and locate. The tumors that are produced may show up in any part of the mesothelium and can even be found between organs. A cancer doctor is going to begin any patient examination with a thorough review of the patient's medical history. As the diagnosis process progresses, there may be several tools used simultaneously to get the most accurate results. Along with blood tests and others, a medical professional may use one or more of several body scans to detect any abnormalities.

X-Rays
 
 The first and most basic imaging scan is an x-ray. This scan is limited, but may be able to detect certain areas that show damage or abnormalities in the body. One of the biggest drawbacks in the x-ray is it can only produce a flat, two-dimensional image. When an x-ray is taken, electromagnetic radiation is sent through the body with a photographic film on the other side. The way the waves, or rays, behavior changes as they pass through the body and different kinds of tissue, thus creating a representative image.

 


 CT Scans

Computed tomography scans, referred to as either CT Scan or "CAT scan," still utilizes x-rays to capture images from inside the body. The x-ray machine and the film travel around the body on one axis and take a large number of images. The images can then be collated and combined to give doctors an excellent idea of what different tissues are found in the area(s) of concern. The data can even be manipulated to show different slices of the tissue and can be rendered into three-dimensional representations. Though an incredibly valuable tool for the medical industry, a CAT scan is still only able to present its data in various shades of light and dark.

  MRI Scans

Magnetic resonance imaging scans use electromagnetic radiation to develop images of the body. Hydrogen atoms in the body respond to the magnetic signals by putting out a very weak radiowave, which a computer can analyze. With a few exceptions, MRI scans are not harmful to the human body, while excessive exposure to x-rays can be. These scans offer all that a CAT scan does and more. The biggest bonus to MRI scans is the ability of the computer to differentiate between tissues in the body and assign them various colors. This lets doctors get a very clear picture of the interior of the body, which can help locate tumors much earlier than the other two kinds of scans. The earlier mesothelioma is discovered and operated on, the better odds a patient has for survival.

PET Scans

One of the best and most widely used scans for detecting and diagnosing mesothelioma and other kinds of cancer is the positron emission tomography scan, known as a PET scan. These scans use tracers and cameras to develop a detailed image of the body and even detect changes in biological processes, allowing doctors to find even the smallest tumor. PET scans involve an injection of a radioactive tracer isotope, combined with some form of glucose, into the blood stream of the patient. After a short waiting period, the scanners are able to detect gamma radiation produced by the tissues in the body that are interacting with the tracer isotope. The scans can produce very accurate representations of the body and can even display what is happening chemically in the tissues.

The most powerful scanning technique combines at least two of the above. Many scanning machines are coming to medical facilities with PET scanners and CAT scanners in the same casing, and some are combined with MRI. The advantage to this is that biochemical processes, which show up in a PET scan, can be compared to what the anatomy that appears in the CAT scan. Both scans can happen almost simultaneously, so the body does not have to be moved during the scan. This ensures that the images are accurate and align with each other. The advantage to this is that biochemical processes, which show up in a PET scan, can be compared to what the anatomy shows in the CAT scan.

Read More..
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

miRview Meso test

Every day, advances are being made in the diagnosis and treatment of mesothelioma in the hopes that someday doctors may be able to make early definitive diagnoses that allow treatment of the disease to be more successful. Historically, mesothelioma has been difficult to diagnose and equally as difficult to treat, generally because it has such a long latency period, often up to 50 years. The latency of the disease means a diagnosis is not always apparent and, by the time it is made, the disease has progressed to its later stages.

However, thanks to the ingenuity of researchers, more tests are evolving that aid in earlier and more definitive diagnosis of this aggressive form of cancer. Such tests include the miRview Meso test, developed by Philadelphia-based Rosetta Genomics. Rosetta, established in 2000, is well known for its minimally-invasive diagnostic tests and doctors view the miRview Meso test as a big step in the right direction towards the proper diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma.

How Does it Work?

miRview Meso is a microRNA-based molecular diagnostic tool that helps to differentiate malignant pleural mesothelioma from peripheral adenocarcinomas of the lung or metastatic carcinomas involving the lung pleura. More simply put, this test can assist doctors in determining whether a patient has mesothelioma or some other form of lung cancer. Currently, this is the only “single” test available to definitively diagnose malignant pleural mesothelioma.

The test uses highly-sensitive technology to measure the microRNA in a sample of tissue taken from a tumor. Specifically, it measures the expression level of three microRNA biomarkers. The test can be done in a doctor’s office or hospital setting. The sample is then sent to a lab for processing, and by use of cutting-edge technology, lab technicians are able to determine whether or not the patient has mesothelioma. Reports are generally received by the ordering doctor in about 10 days.

Benefits of the Test

The miRview Meso test is extremely accurate. As a matter of fact, the sensitivity and specificity of this test have been shown to be about 95 percent and 96 percent. No other test is known to be this accurate in the diagnosis of mesothelioma. This is especially important because different sub-types of lung cancer can be very difficult to diagnose, even under a microscope.

Furthermore, diagnosing mesotheliom is often a laborious process involving numerous tests such as chest X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, biopsies and more. Because the miRview test is a single one-step diagnostic procedure, results are available quickly and treatment can commence immediately, providing the patient with a better chance of survival and more treatment options.

Obtaining the Test

Rosetta Genomic’s miRview Meso test is widely available. Most oncologists who specialize in the treatment of mesothelioma and/or other lung and thoracic cancers will probably be familiar with this diagnostic procedure. For those who are not, further information is available from Rosetta Genomics and doctors can order collection kits, sample preparation instructions, and shipping instructions from the company by phone or online.

Read More..
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

Mesothelioma Post Mortem

Thousands of individuals were directly exposed to asbestos throughout the twentieth century, both while on the job and through other means such as home remodeling projects. Secondary asbestos exposure was also a significant issue, as many were subjected to exposure through someone else who worked with the substance on a regular basis. Unfortunately, most individuals who worked with asbestos were unaware of the dangers that were affiliated with it. As a result, masks and other protective gear were rarely worn to prevent those working with asbestos from being exposed.

Asbestos-related diseases have a long latency period ranging from 10 to 50 years, which is why so many individuals are diagnosed when the disease has already reached an asbestos by the time mesothelioma symptoms arise. This is especially true for those who only worked with the toxic mineral for a short period of time. Because of this, a number of mesothelioma cases are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, only to be discovered later during an autopsy.

This is why it is essential that a post mortem examination be ordered after every death where asbestos is suspected. During a post mortem, tissue samples are taken to determine if asbestos fibers are present. If these fibers are discovered, they can provide a definitive link to asbestos and determine whether or not the individual passed away from mesothelioma.
Next Steps

A mesothelioma post mortem examination can be requested by the family of the deceased at the time of death. Family members who need proof of asbestos exposure in addition to the post mortem may be able to gather such information from former co-workers who might be finding themselves in the same predicament. Post mortem examinations can usually be completed within a few days from the time of death. If you are opposed to autopsies for religious beliefs or other reasons, you can request a limited post mortem, which examines only the parts of the body affected by disease.

If a mesothelioma post mortem is performed and there is a definitive link to asbestos, it may be time to contact an experienced mesothelioma lawyer who can examine the options available for filing a lawsuit against the company or individual responsible for the exposure. Compensation for the deceased person's pain and suffering may be in order and the settlement from a successful suit can help pay medical bills.

Read More..
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS