Doctors may need to perform a variety of medical tests and procedures to learn more about your child's cancer and to provide the best treatment. Anticipating and having these procedures often is a major source of anxiety and stress for both children and parents. Fortunately, much of the anxiety surrounding procedures can be reduced by carefully preparing you and your child.
Concerns have been raised about the safety of computed tomography (CT) scanning because it uses a form of radiation. Recent research suggests that the use of CT scans may slightly increase cancer risk in the U.S. population. But, a person diagnosed with cancer or suspected of having cancer can safely receive a CT scan because the benefits always outweigh the risks.
Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a procedure being studied more frequently for its role in detecting breast cancer. Although the early results of breast MRI studies are encouraging, breast MRI should not be substituted for mammography for women at average risk for breast cancer. However, it may be an additional tool to screen for breast cancer in women at high risk for developing the disease.
The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is a diagnostic examination used to detect blood in the feces (stool). Blood in the stool may be a sign of colorectal cancer or other problems such as polyps (growths that develop on the inner wall of the colon and rectum) or ulcers.
A barium enema is an x-ray examination of the colon and rectum. The colon and rectum make up the large intestine, which plays an important role in the body's ability to process waste. A barium enema outlines the colon and rectum and shows abnormalities, such as inflammation, polyps, and colon cancer.
One of the most important medical advances in the past century was the development of the endoscope. This tool, which in its simplest form is a slim tube with a light source and a camera or video camera at its end, enables a doctor to view certain organs or areas inside of a person's body. Prior to the development of endoscopes, people often had to undergo exploratory surgery to determine the cause of their problem.
Some people with cancer may hesitate to have radiation therapy because they are uncertain about the treatment and the possible side effects. It is important to learn about the treatment and communicate with your health-care team if you have any further questions.
This article is part of a series on common diagnostic tests that tells you how to prepare for the procedure, what happens during the examination, and what to expect after the test is done. Ultrasound, also called sonography or ultrasonography, uses high-frequency sound waves to create a picture of internal organs. A tumor generates different echoes of the sound waves than normal tissue does, so when the waves are bounced back to a computer and changed into images, the doctor can locate a tumor inside the body.
Donated umbilical cord blood can be used to treat people with life-threatening diseases including leukemia, other types of cancer, and immune and genetic disorders. Learn about the importance of umbilical cord blood, public versus private use, and how to become an umbilical cord blood donor.
This article is part of a series on common diagnostic tests that tells you how to prepare for the procedure, what happens during the examination, and what to expect after the test is done. A Pap test, also called a Pap smear, detects cervical cancer and can also find early changes in the cells of a woman's cervix that, if left untreated, could turn into cancer. If a doctor treats these irregular cells, the patient has an almost 100% chance of being cured.
