All patients have a unique path
to a diagnosis, but the most important factors to an accurate diagnosis are
imaging scans and biopsies. Doctors use several tests to diagnose mesothelioma.
Most people initially undergo a basic chest X-ray to check for any
abnormalities. If abnormal growth is detected, a doctor will recommend a more
detailed imaging scan like a PET scan, CT scan or MRI. If mesothelioma is
suspected, a biopsy will be recommended. In a biopsy, a tissue sample is
collected to confirm the presence of mesothelioma cells.
Blood tests for mesothelioma are
also available, but they do not confirm the presence of mesothelioma. Research
and development is underway to determine if mesothelioma blood tests can aid in
early diagnosis for at-risk former asbestos workers.
Staging
There are at least five systems
that doctors use for the staging of pleural mesothelioma. Older systems like
those created by Drs. Butchart and Sugarbaker did not classify tumors with
tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) descriptors, so the International Mesothelioma
Interest Group (IMIG) developed the detailed IMIG staging system in 1995. This
system is the most widely used staging system for mesothelioma.