Imaging Scans - Mesothelioma Diagnosis

From the Previous Post I notify you about Diagnosis Methods of Mesothelioma Cancer. Today I'll give you the information about Imaging Scans Diagnostic Method used for mesothelioma Cancer.

When we refer to the word 'Scan' you will exactly get to know the Scans we can undergo. In discovering the Mesothelioma we must undergo following Scans.

• CT Scan
• MRI Scan
• PET Scan 
• X-Ray

              Undergoing these various types of Scans to Diagnose Mesothelioma Cancer is not a waste as every type of Scan reveal various sides of the disease and the Information gathered from Every Scan is very effective. As an example if you X-ray your upper part of the body which means the chest area, Doctor is able to observe your lungs and how the Mesothelioma had effected on there.  

CT Scan is capable of scanning your whole body and capture a position in different angles.  When regarding Mesothelioma Cancer Diagnostic Process CT Scanning is very useful. MRI Scanners Scans you whole brain and give exact,effective and reliable information about how your brain is effected from the Cancer or Not. Each Scan type is unique and we will just take a look at those Scans and how they work on Mesothelioma Cancer Diagnostic Process. 

CT Scan

                    CT refers to Computer Tomography Scan and it is more widely used to discover Cancers and Hidden Injuries in Body. Mostly Tumors are discovered either from MRI Scan or CT Scan. Doctors will directly turn to CT Scan if the patient has suspected Mesothelioma Symptoms. As CT Scan gives a whole detailed note inside your Body condition.

MRI Scan

                  Magnetic Resonance Image is the long term of MRI. MRI Scan is a no risk Scan and provides mostly a reliable information about your Brain stats. MRI Scanner uses Magnetic fields and radio frequency pulses to detect your body changes and inner stats. The data gained from Magnetic fields and radio frequency pulses are transmitted to a Computer to get a detailed Information.

PET Scan

               Positron Emission Tomography is referred to PET Scan. PET Scan technology is a Nuclear Medicine Diagnostic Technique. Nuclear Medicine does is exposing body to a little amount of radio active material into the Body. PET Scanning is very effective when determine whether the Mesothelioma is spread to the other points of body from its origin place.

X-Ray

               X-Ray is the commonly used method to examine the inner body. Everyone has a basic knowledge about X-Ray and it is much profitable when comparing to other methods. When looking in to Malignant Mesothelioma it is same in there also.  As the first diagnosis is start from a Chest X-Ray to determine whether there is Mesothelioma or Not.

Above was simple descriptions about every type of Scan and in future Articles I will look forward to talk about each method separately. You can always be a loyal reader of ours by Subscribing to our Site.

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Mesothelioma Diagnosis

From the Previous Articles we looked in to the Mesothelioma Disease and from this Article I thought we should take look at Mesothelioma Diagnosis Process. There are many ways to diagnose Mesothelioma Cancer and donot have a specific path or method. Process often involves multiple procedures, each performed by a different medical professional. Most people receive their official diagnosis within two to three months varying on their symptoms.

                   Mostly Mesothelioma is diagnosed by pathological examination from a biopsy. Tissue is removed, placed under the microscope, and a pathologist makes a definitive diagnosis and issues a pathology report. Doctors will observe the patient from a Scan or an X-ray. The first step that mesothelioma doctors will take in evaluating an asbestos related disease is to obtain a full medical history to determine the level and severity of mesothelioma risk factors and presenting mesothelioma symptoms.

If the tests reveal a suspicious mass that looks like mesothelioma, they will request a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. If further examination is warranted, the following tests may be done:

• Thoracoscopy


• Peritoneoscopy


• Biopsy

                           Most patients make their first diagnostic appointment with their general physician several months after they first notice something wrong with their health. CT scans are most doctors’ first choice, while the “gold standard” for mesothelioma diagnosis is a combination CT-PET. However, many mesothelioma diagnoses are made incidentally, when doctors use other types of scans to identify an unknown condition. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are extremely important in extending your life expectancy. There are several steps that you can take, including developing a plan for treatment and finding a local mesothelioma expert.For facts regarding each diagnosing type, stick to our site and you won't miss anything.

Sources

Asbestos 
http://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma/diagnosis.php

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Get to know about Benign Mesothelioma

Benign Mesothelioma doesn't harm Malignant Mesothelioma and it is very easy to treat to that disease when comparing to the Malignant Mesothelioma. Benign mesothelioma is usually develop in the peritoneums of patients with no history of asbestos exposure. This type of asbestos cancer also differs from the malignant form in that benign tumors do not invade nearby tissues nor spread to other parts of the body. 

The fact that it remains contained makes it much easier to address and mesothelioma surgery may be recommended.

Although most patients are young to middle-aged women, doctors have observed benign cases in men as well. Several complications can arise if a tumor grows large enough, but most patients experience no symptoms at all. 20 percent of patients with benign mesotheliomas larger than 7 cm experience painful swelling of the joints and bones, low blood sugar, comas and seizures.

                               Once diagnosed, benign mesothelioma is usually treated with a surgical procedure known as a thoracotomy. This type of mesothelioma treatment involves the removal of one segment of the lung or, in very rare cases, the entire affected lung. As with any surgery, complications may occur, but the mesothelioma survival rate is generally higher in these patients.

Sources

Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance 
http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/types/benign.htm

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What is Malignant Mesothelioma

Malignant Mesothelioma is a cancer that starts in Cells. Those cells are often called as mesothelial cells.  This Malignant Mesothelioma is a rare form of Cancer affects the thin cell wall lining of the body's internal organs and structures. They can be mostly observed in the linings of certain parts of the body, especially the chest or abdomen. This cancer cell lining is known as Mesothelium.  

                      

                 Mainly Malignant mesothelioma has three types. They are malignant pleural mesothelioma, malignant pericardial mesothelioma, and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma occurs in the pleura, the lung's lining. Peritoneal mesothelioma occurs in the peritoneum, the abdominal cavity wall. And pericardial mesothelioma occurs in the lining of the hearth, known as the pericardium.

If you want to know more about above Mesothelioma Types refer to the below Articles which may help you a lot.

• Types of Mesothelioma Cancer
• Histological Subtypes of Mesothelioma Cancer

And also I've brought you the Information about "What is Mesothelioma" in the Article "What is Mesothelioma ?"   so I hope there is no need for repeating it. And I'll go down for the Causes of Malignant Mesothelioma.

What Causes Malignant Mesothelioma?

                     As we all aware now, mesothelioma is caused due to high average of exposing to asbestos and asbestos fibers mainly cause this disease. But if we look in to Malignant Mesothelioma which causes danger for the People as it act as a cancer, we must know about the causes of Malignant mesothelioma more understandingly. Microscopic asbestos fibers enter the body through the lung or ingestion. Once inside, the durable fibers are unable to be broken down or expelled by the body, causing a harmful inflammation and scarring of the mesothelium. This scarring lays the groundwork for malignant mesothelioma and other respiratory conditions, such as asbestosis.

For more advance details on Causes of Mesothelioma refer : What Causes Mesothelioma Cancer ?

Malignant Mesothelioma Treatment

               As a common fact Malignant Mesothelioma is diagnosed in its late stages. This is due to the late coming of symptoms of Mesothelioma Cancer. But, there are several treatment options for the management of the cancer. Among these are mesothelioma chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical resection. Chemotherapeutic and radiation therapy methods are more likely but surgery is often an option for those whose disease is diagnosed early enough.

Now these days, if the Mesothelioma is discovered in its early stages doctors will be able to give therapies for those patients.  Pleural mesothelioma patients must undergo a surgery as it is more violent.  Extrapleural pneumonectomy involves the removal of the entire affected lung, the pericardium, the pleura, and the diaphragm.

Patient's who are eligible to receive an aggressive surgery, like an extrapleural pneumonectomy, will have a far more favorable prognosis than those diagnosed with advanced stage inoperable disease.

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Who gets Mesothelioma and How

From all the previous Articles I have brought you the facts about what is Mesothelioma and what are the types of it. So from this post I'll present you the details that who will mostly get Mesothelioma Cancer.  

Mesothelioma is a disastrous Cancer and every time Most developed countries Study this disease to have clear knowledge and an explanation about it. Most of Countries study the Patients who are suffering from this Cancer as, their Age, Sex, Actions regarding Sex, Locations and Workplaces. Eight international case studies of 657 mesothelioma patients between 1965 and 1975 confirmed the causal link between asbestos exposure and malignant mesothelioma. 

                             Most of the Men work in work-sites, mines, building areas, railway tracks, shipyards, refineries and production plants are the ones who are threatened more with this disease.  When you get the breath of asbestos, Mesothelioma Cancer doesn't occur as quickly in days, weeks or months as other diseases. But it takes to occur after 30 - 45 years and most of the people who get this Mesothelioma Cancer is over 65 age. 

Another fact is that men are ones who mostly exposed to the asbestos and work in those sites, but women can get this disease also but it rare fact that this disease would fall upon women. Because fewer women historically worked in high-exposure occupations. But women can also get this Mesothelioma Cancer as a second hand exposure to asbestos as when they are contacting with their family and if someone in the family is carrying asbestos fibers on their clothes, body or else.  

                           People live in places where there are asbestos deposits, asbestos mines or processing centers are passively exposing to the threatening of Mesothelioma Cancer. The people who feel they may be a victim of Mesothelioma cancer should immediately and carefully monitor any physical changes that may occur in them as  the presence of mesothelioma, such as respiratory health changes and notify their doctor about their history and any present symptoms.

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Histological Subtypes of Mesothelioma Cancer

An important tool used in the definitive diagnosis of disease is histology, the microscopic examination of cellular anatomy. Although it is most common for doctors to classify this cancer based on the tumor’s location, there are also various histological sub types of pleural, peritoneal, pericardial and testicular mesothelioma.

Epithelial Mesothelioma

Accounting for 50 to 70 percent of all cases, epithelial mesothelioma is by far the most common histological subtype. Compared to other cell types, epithelial mesothelioma typically responds better to treatment. It is therefore the histological subtype associated with the best survival.

Sarcomatoid Mesothelioma

Cancers that arise from connective tissues are called sarcomas, and sarcomatoid mesothelioma is so named because under the microscope, its cells are elongated and spindle-shaped like those of a sarcoma, overlapping in a disorderly fashion. Between 15% and 20% of all malignant mesothelioma diagnoses are classified as sarcomatoid.

Sarcomatoid mesothelioma is more aggressive than other histologic subtypes of mesothelioma and consequently more difficult to treat. Sarcomatoid mesothelioma cells are notably more resistant to chemotherapy than either epithelial or biphasic mesothelioma. Patients who have been diagnosed with sarcomatoid mesothelioma generally have the lowest survival rates among mesothelioma patients.

Biphasic Mesothelioma

                                       

                              A combination of epithelial and sarcomatoid cells within one tumor, biphasic mesothelioma occurs in about 20 to 35 percent of cases. Because the ratio of epithelial to biphasic cells can vary significantly from case to case, the distribution of cells influences survival. A greater number of epithelial cells is generally associated with a better prognosis.  

                         There is no commonly accepted standard for diagnosis among members of the medical community although the World Health Organization recommends that the diagnosis be used when a tumor is comprised of at least 10% epithelial cells and at least 10% sarcomatoid cells. 

As we mentioned in the previous Post here was a description about Histological Sub types of Mesothelioma Cancer. And stay with us to receive  more valued Information in Future.

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Types of Mesothelioma Cancer

                          Mainly there are four main types of Mesothelioma Cancer. Each type indicates the area of the body where the cancer originates.  doctors may examine the cellular features of a mesothelioma tumor to learn important characteristics of the disease. This action paves the path to them  to reveal the history of Cancer and it is very useful when treating. 

When mesothelioma begins to grows, tumors form on the mesothelial lining surrounding the lungs, abdomen, heart or testicles.  These main types of Cancer Mesothelioma is known as pleural, peritoneal, pericardial and testicular mesothelioma. While the majority of mesothelioma tumors are malignant, there are also noncancerous forms of the disease, known as benign mesotheliomas.

Below Image shows you the exact percentages of Types of Mesothelioma Cancer that can be diagnosed.

                            In future Articles we are hoping to bring facts and information about each type of Mesothelioma Cancer and for now we will present you a brief explanations about four main types of Mesothelioma Cancer. 

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma develops in the mesothelial lining of the lungs, known as the pleura. Approximately 75 percent of all mesothelioma cases are of the pleural type. Although symptoms may vary, the most common pleural mesothelioma symptoms include ; 

• Short of Breath
• Dry Cough
• Persistent Chest Pain
• Difficulties in Swallowing
• Fever
• Fatigue

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Peritoneal mesothelioma develops in the mesothelial lining of the abdomen, known as the peritoneum. Approximately 20 percent of all mesothelioma diagnoses are of the peritoneal type and symptoms typically include ;

• Abdominal Pain
• Vomiting
• Abdominal Swelling
• Fatigue
• Loss of Weight

Pericardial Mesothelioma

Pericardial mesothelioma develops on the exterior lining of the heart, known as the pericardium. This type of mesothelioma is rare and accounts for about 5 percent of all mesothelioma cases. Symptoms develop when fluid builds up in the spaces between the layers of the pericardial membrane and may include;

• Chest pain
• Irregular Heart Beat
• Cough
• Difficulty in Breathing

Testicular Mesothelioma

Testicular mesothelioma affects the lining of the testes. Less than 1 percent of mesothelioma cases are made up of this type of mesothelioma and many patients are diagnosed while receiving surgery or treatment for another condition. Because of the rarity of the disease, it has been difficult for medical researchers to develop a comprehensive list of symptoms. The two main indicators of this cancer are thought to be testicular lumps and swelling of the scrotum. This form of mesothelioma is usually not diagnosed until lumps develop.

              Testicular mesothelioma patients may undergo a surgery to remove all or part of the affected testicle. Adjuvant therapy may be recommended, in which case the patient will also obtain chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.

This article was revolved around emphasizing the main types of Mesothelioma Cancer and from future Articles I'll present you the Histological Subtypes of Mesothelioma Cancer, so if you want more Information you can subscribe to our Site.

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