Mesothelioma Tests

There is also no single “best” way to diagnosis the disease, and several tests may be used,
including:

PET-CT: Positron emission tomography, or a PET scan, involves injecting small amounts of
radioactive material called radiopharmaceuticals or radiotracers into your vein. It takes about an
hour for the material to collect in the lungs. The PET scan picks up the energy released from dye
and creates pictures showing the structure and function of the lungs and surrounding tissue.
Meanwhile, a CT scan conducted at the same time provides a crisp, 3-dimensional image. The
amount of radiation used is low, and unless you are allergic to the dye, there should be no
complications.
One often-cited study found a 93 percent overall accuracy in diagnosing mesothelioma with the
PET-CT. 8 In addition to diagnosis, PET-CT is also being used to stage the disease.

FDG-PET: This is a form of PET scan that uses a dye containing glucose (fluorine-18-2-fluoro-
2-deoxy-D-glucose). This dye collects in greater amounts in cancer cells than normal cells. It is
used both for diagnosis and to see how your tumor responds to treatment.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): An MRI uses magnetic energy, not radiation, to provide
images of tissues and organs. Although people used to have to lie very still in an enclosed space
during an MRI, today many hospitals offer “open” MRIs that are less claustrophobic. Magnetic
resonance is typically used to see if the tumor can be surgically removed; it can also help
determine the tumor subtype, described below.

Chest CT: A computed tomography scan is really just a fancy x-ray. It uses much more radiation
than a typical x-ray, however, although it provides far better images, including three-dimensional
views that can assist in diagnosis. A chest CT is used to see if the tumor has spread to the chest
wall, ribs, and other tissues.
A recent review of several studies on the diagnosis of mesothelioma found that PET-CT works
better than any other imaging option to correctly diagnosed the disease. However, surgical
biopsy is still considered the gold standard for a definitive diagnosis and to stage the disease.