How is mesothelioma diagnosed?
When a patient presents to a physician complaining of difficulty breathing, abdominal pain or pneumonia-type symptoms and reports a history of asbestos exposure, an x-ray or CT scan is ordered to detect the presence of asbestos in or around the lungs, heart or stomach. If asbestos is detected, the physician will look for signs of tumors around vital organs. If tumors are detected, the patient will be referred for further tests to determine if there is a diagnosis of mesothelioma.
These tests are performed in one of two ways, depending upon the condition of the patient. A needle biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure in which cells from the affected area are abstracted through a hollow needle. A more precise test is to perform an “open biopsy”, in which a small piece of tissue is surgically removed for biopsy. After samples are sent to pathology, and if mesothelioma is present, it will then be determined if the disease is benign or malignant.