What is the appropriate testing procedure for diagnosing or ruling out mesothelioma in a patient?
Diagnosing mesothelioma involves both imaging tests and biopsies. Imaging tests, which may include x-rays, CT scans, and/or MRI scans, are usually the first step in making a preliminary diagnosis.
If an imaging test indicates the possibility that mesothelioma may be present, the next step is to perform a biopsy. Biopsies involve collection of tissue to be examined by a pathologist. A needle biopsy involves extracting tissue via a hollow needle inserted into the chest cavity. This is the least invasive, but also the least conclusive biopsy technique. A surgical biopsy involves making an actual incision for the purpose of collecting tissue for examination.
The tissue is then examined by a pathologist, who checks for the presence of malignant cells is the sample.