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Mesothelioma
Lawyers & Mesothelioma Diagnosed
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This is a test that looks at the inside of the airways. A flexible tube called a bronchoscope is put into the airway. The tube has an eyepiece so that the doctor can see into your airways. Biopsies (samples of tissue and cells) can also be taken during a bronchoscopy. These are sent to a laboratory for testing to see if there are any cancer cells present.
The test is usually done as an outpatient under local anaesthetic. This means you are awake for the test, but your throat has been numbed. Sometimes it is done with a general anaesthetic. If you have an anaesthetic, you may have to stay in hospital overnight. This depends on the time of day the test is carried out and your general health.
MRI
scan
This is a scan that uses magnetism to build up a picture of the
inside of the body. You may be asked to have a chest MRI or an
abdominal MRI, depending on which type of mesothelioma you are being
investigated for. But MRI isn't a routine test for mesothelioma, so
you may not have one at all.
MRI scans can be very noisy and some people who don't like small
spaces find them difficult to cope with. Tell your doctor beforehand
if you have any of these worries or fears. If you have any metal in
your body, you cannot have an MRI scan.
Mediastinoscopy
This is a test that examines the mediastinum (the centre of your
chest) to see if the mesothelioma has spread there. This area
contains
The heart
The main blood vessels
Lymph nodes
The oesophagus (foodpipe)
Sometimes in pleural mesothelioma, the lymph nodes in the chest are
enlarged. You
need to have a general anaesthetic for this test and so have to stay
in hospital for at least one night. The surgeon makes a small cut at
the base of the neck. A small tube is put through the cut and into
the mediastinum. The surgeon can look through this tube to examine
the area. The tube may contain a small video camera, so the surgeon
can look at the area on a screen. Tissue samples can also be taken,
which will be examined under a microscope to see if there are any
cancer cells.
When you wake up, you will have a small dressing over the cut where
the tube was put in. Don't be afraid to say if you are feeling sore.
The nurses will be happy to give you a painkiller. Once you have got
over the anaesthetic, you will be able to go home. This will
probably be the day after the test.
PET
scan
Your doctor may suggest a PET scan if your mesothelioma is likely to
be treatable with surgery. Unfortunately, surgery is only possible
for a small number of people with mesothelioma. PET stands for
'positron emission tomography'. It is a fairly new type of scan that
can show how body tissues are working, and not just what they look
like. A PET scan may show whether the cancer has spread to lymph
nodes or another part of the body. Your surgeon may need to rule
this out before finally deciding that surgery is possible.
CT-PET scan
A combined CT and PET scan can give the doctor more information than
either test on its own, and is more helpful in deciding which
patients are likely to benefit from surgery.
Laparoscopy
This is a small operation that may be used to diagnose peritoneal
(abdominal) mesothelioma. A tube with a camera and a light is put into your
abdomen through a small cut. Your doctor can look inside to see
whether there is any sign of cancer. The doctor will take samples
(biopsies) of any abnormal looking areas. These will be sent to the
laboratory for examination under a microscope. Laparoscopy is done
under general anaesthetic. You will have a small wound with a couple
of stitches. Sometimes, the camera is put in through more than one
cut, so you may have more than one wound.
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