Mesothelioma is an aggressive and potentially deadly cancer seen in an increasing number of patients, especially older males. Early symptoms often include shortness of breath and unexplained pain in the chest cavity. Mesothelioma involves malignancies within the lining of the lungs, heart, and abdomen.
Perplexed by the increasing number of cases of cancer of the mesothelium, known as mesothelioma, physicians began to look for the common factors in the majority of mesothelioma patients. It was soon discovered that asbestos exposure was associated with the occupations of the majority of patients; largely, shipbuilders, members of the Armed Forces, construction workers, industrial workers, or teachers, were all likely exposed to asbestos. However, the full consequences of asbestos exposure remain to be seen, as most physicians and scientists believe cases of mesothelioma will rise in the next decade.
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Diagnosing mesothelioma can be complex, given that notable symptoms do not appear until the disease reaches advanced stages. The latency period, or time from exposure to diagnosis, discourages early detection of malignancies. An individual exposed to asbestos as many as 50 years ago may be diagnosed with mesothelioma today.
Because the disease is somewhat rare, and early symptoms mimic indicate more common illnesses, the diagnostic process generally may take months. Your physician will want to rule out other diseases before testing for this rare cancer.
If mesothelioma is indicated, several tests will be ordered to confirm or deny the diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is an excellent tool for discovering where the cancer has originated and determining whether the cancer has spread, beyond mesothelioma.
MRIs often provide different information about bodily structures than are seen with other forms of imaging tests, such as X-ray, ultrasound, or computed tomography (CT) scan. For the MRI, the body area being studied is placed inside a specially designed machine with a strong magnet. Images from the MRI scan are digital, and can be saved a computer for later medical study. Remote viewing of images is also possible; for example, when the medical team collaborates from different operating room locations. Depending on the type of MRI ordered, a dye, known as contrast material, may be injected prior to your test to show certain body structures more accurately.
An MRI is just one more way medical science is working hard to unlock the mystery of mesothelioma.