Mesothelioma is a form of asbestos cancer that affects the mesothelium lining, which protects many organs in the human body. The only proven cause of mesothelioma is the inhalation of asbestos fibers, as no other cause aside from asbestos exposure has been directly proven to date. Mesothelioma is very hard to diagnose since many of the symptoms can be indicative of other diseases. Especially throughout the initial stages, mesothelioma symptoms resemble those of other, less serious disease. For this reason, advanced scanning and imaging procedures are employed in the diagnosis process.

MRI

Scanning and developing an image of the interior of the body is incredibly valuable for diagnosing mesothelioma. One of the most basic ways to perform this kind of scan is with an x-ray. An x-ray is limited in its use since it is only able to produce two-dimensional pictures with images made up of lighter and darker areas. In a computed tomography, otherwise known as a CT scan, a large number of x-ray images are taken of the body from different angles around the same point. These scans can produce three-dimensional images, but they are simple black and white images of the tissues, predominantly bones and harder tissues.

A more technologically advanced image scan is the magnetic resonance imaging scan, known as a MRI. In this procedure, the body is placed into a machine and is subject to a number of electromagnetic waves. These waves cause hydrogen atoms and their magnetic fields to align. Radio waves are then used to change the alignment of the fields. The hydrogen atoms begin to emit their own weak radio signals, which may be manipulated by other magnetic fields and then captured by a scanning device. Different tissues emit different radio wave frequencies that allow a computer to determine what kind of tissue is sending the wave. Thus, different tissues in the body produce various contrasts, which can be turned into colors in the visual representation of the image. This allows cancer doctors a better view of the inside of the body. MRI scans are used in many different applications, including those outside the medical profession.

In many situations, a MRI scan is done in conjunction with a positron emission tomography, or PET scan. More often, a PET scan is performed in conjunction with a CAT scan.

Treatment

The importance of finding a cancerous tumor as early as possible cannot be over stated. MRI scans allow doctors to find even the smallest tumor in the body, which helps begin the mesothelioma treatment process. Treatment of cancer in an early stage not only increases the odds that an individual will survive the illness, it also helps to prevent the spread of the cancer to other areas in the body.

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Mesothelioma News

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