If the diagnosis is cancer, your doctor will want to know the arena (stage or extent) of the disease. Staging was performed to determine whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to what parts of the body.
Lung cancer often spreads to the brain or bones. Knowing the stage (stage) of the disease helps the doctor plan lung cancer treatment. Some of the tests used to determine whether the cancer has spread are:
CT scans or CT scan. A computer linked to an X-ray machine creates a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). A powerful magnet linked to a computer produces detailed pictures of areas inside the body.
Radionuclide studies. The scans with radionuclides (radioactive isotopes) can show whether cancer has spread to other organs including the liver. The patient swallows or receives an injection of a mildly radioactive substance. A machine (scanner) measures and records the level of radioactivity in certain organs to reveal abnormal areas.
