Your cancer diagnosis can get even smoother when doctors can see right through your body. Imaging techniques have made it possible for doctors to detect abnormalities in the body accurately, which cannot be seen from the outside. Doctors can now make use of different scans at different stages, according to your health condition, to understand your cancer more thoroughly.
What exactly does a CT detect?
A CT scan can create multiple X-ray images of your internal body. Doctors usually use these X-ray images to examine your different organs or blood vessels to see if they can detect any abnormalities. This way, doctors can do quick evaluations of your body and can detect the location of the abnormal tumor and the spread of the cancer.
How do MRI scans work?
MRI scans usually use magnetic or radio waves to create images of your internal organs. Unlike CT scans, it doesn’t use X-rays. doctors may tell you to lie on a bed during the process, which is then moved under these radioactive rays to capture images of your body. This is how doctors can examine the soft tissues near your brain, spinal cord, or nerves.
What do PET scans show?
PET scans can help doctors see the area or organs in your body where cancer is still active. It can show the activity of the cancer in your body and also how it’s spreading. Doctors usually inject a small amount of radioactive tracer into your body during the process. Cancer cells can absorb this radioactive tracer easily because they are more active than your healthy cells. When cancer cells absorb these tracers, the radioactive substance inside them highlights these active areas. This can help doctors understand your cancer activity better and detect your tumors actively.
Why do doctors use multiple scans together?
During your cancer diagnosis, doctors normally use a combination of different imaging techniques. They also do this because no one test can give all the information about your medical condition to your doctors. By combining different approaches, doctors can understand how your tumor behaves. This way, doctors can tailor your treatment according to your cancer stage and type to offer you the right care.
Understanding tumors more clearly
Each scan can work differently and can help doctors detect cancer from different angles. This way, doctors can know your condition better and offer you more personalized care to protect your quality of living.