Cancer Information

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.

Bone scans. The scanogram bone, a type of radionuclide study can show whether cancer has spread to the bones. Is injected into the vein a small amount of a radioactive substance that travels through the bloodstream and concentrates in the areas of abnormal bone growth. An instrument called a scanner measures the radioactivity levels in these areas and records them on x-ray film

Mediastinoscopy / mediastinotomy. A mediastinoscopy can help show whether cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the chest. Using a light optical instrument called an endoscope, the doctor examines the center of the chest (mediastinum) and nearby lymph nodes. At mediastinoscopy, the scope is inserted through a small incision in the neck in mediastinotomy, an incision is made in the chest. In either of the two procedures, the endoscope is also used to collect a tissue sample. The patient receives general anesthesia.

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