There are a number of tests that are used to detect the presence of cancer cells and if the cancer has spread
- MRI - magnetic resonance imaging
- - The first Test I took was an MRI of my abdomen. Since I had some pain there the doctor felt that it might be my stomach. This test showed the Cancer in the Pancreas with smaller tumors in the liver and the right lung
- BIOPSY - This was the second test. Here, a Radiologist performs the biopsy while you are lying under the cat-scan. They gave me a local anesthetic to numb the area where they will insert the needle (the left side). The Doctor is looking at a tv monitor to track his was down to the Pancreas. I watched as he reached the area, and saw when he cut off a sample of the Tumors for testing.
- CT scan - Also called CAT scan - "Commputerized Tomography" uses x-rays to develop a three-dimensional picture of a part of the body.
- Nuclear Scan - A radioactive substance is swallowed or injected into the patient. A scanner measures radioactive levels in the body and takes pictures. Abnormal areas appear where radioactivity is detected in the organs. (I did not take this test.).
- Ultrasound or *Ultrasonography) - A microphone like device sends sound waves that bounce off tissues. The echoes are converted into a picture (sonogram) shown on a monitor.
- BONE SCAN - Here you are under a tube like machine. It starts at your feet and moves you through taking images of your skeleton and viewing them on the screen. When my scan was over I asked if I could see my skeleton. Boy was I cute. This test showed that the cancer did not spread into my bones or my lymph nodes. Yeah!
- PET SCAN- Positron Emission Tomography - this test uses low-dose, radioactive sugar to determine the activity of cells in a tumor. The dose of sugar feels hot when it enters your system. It was explained to me that the material creates a hot spot wherever there is a tumor(s). Here is where confirmation that I had cancer in my liver, right lung and also in my esophagus. I then had a biopsy of my liver which confirmed it was Pancreatic Cancer of the Liver (which means the cancer in my Pancreas has spread to the Liver, Lung and Esophagus. Thisis called metastatic pancreatic cancer. It is not Liver Cancer, Lung Cancer or Cancer of the Esophagus. When cancer spreads from its original place the new tumor has the same kind of abnormal cells and the same name as the primary tumor.
Please give me your feedback on this. Is it clear? Does it help you to unnderstand? I would appreciate any comments.
Thank you.
1 comment:
what are you doing up at 4:45 AM?
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