Mesothelioma Diagnosis

If Mesothelioma is suspected the only diagnosis that should be sought is from a trained professional physician. Proper diagnosis will be obtained with very careful assessment of radiological and clinical findings along with a biopsy to confirm malignancy. Additional information such as the complete patients medical history and circumstance of asbestos exposure will also be required. A CT scan or MRI may also be done at this time.

Generally the first scans that a patient will have to determine if he or she has Mesothelioma is an X-ray. Chest X-rays can reveal pleural effusions (fluid build-up) along with unnatural lumps and prior scarring on the lung due to asbestosis.

The next type of scans that patients are subjected to is the CT (Computed Tomography). These scans are done when evidence is already found using X-rays previously or further confirmation is required. CT Scans are much more detailed and as such can also determine if the patient suffers from pleural effusions along with other associated conditions like pleural thickening, pleural calcification, thickening of interlobular fissures, or possible chest wall invasion.

If it is determined that a patient already has a tumor from the previous scans then the patient will be subjected to yet another scan. The Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scan is used specifically to determine the extent of the tumor. Because MRIs provide cross-sectional snapshots, its very useful to determine the actual size of the tumor and if there are any enlargement of close lymph nodes indicating and advanced stage cancer.

Some patients will opt to have a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan instead of the regular MRI. The scanning and imaging of PET Scans are superior to other sorts of scans however can be quite expensive and thus more often than not isn’t covered by medical insurance. It has to be said that with Mesothelioma, the use of a PET Scan is advised as it is superior in determining the staging of the cancer since Mesothelioma is generally regarded as a condition that isn’t very visible through scans.

If abnormal tissue is found, the next stage is to perform a biopsy which basically means that a piece of the tissue is extracted and subjected to tests to determine if it is malignant. If it proved to be malignant then it serves as a positive indicator that the patient has Mesothelioma cancer. On the other hand there is also a high chance that the tumor may not be malignant in which case most patients still opt to have the tumor removed to save from any further complications later on in life.

What Is My Diagnosis?

There are three types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), and pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining surrounding the heart (pericardium). Sub-types (or cell types) of mesothelioma are epithelioid (the most common, and considered the most amenable to treatment), sarcomatous (a much more aggressive form), and biphasic or mixed (a combination of both of the other cell types).

The structural appearance of cells under the microscope determine the cell or sub-type of mesothelioma. Epithelioid is the least aggressive; sarcomatoid, the most aggressive. The biphasic or mixed cell type shows structural elements of both of the other two.



Epithelioid mesothelioma tissue


Sarcomatoid mesothelioma tissue



Biphasic mesothelioma tissue