Your GP will ask you about your symptoms and will examine you. He or she may refer you to a doctor who specialises in respiratory medicine; this is a doctor who treats conditions affecting the lungs, or a gastroenterologist, a doctor specialising in conditions of the digestive system. Further tests may include the following.
- A chest or abdominal X-ray.
- A CT (computerised tomography) scan, which uses X-rays to make a three-dimensional image of the body.
- An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan, which uses magnets and radiowaves to produce images of the inside of your body.
- A sample of the fluid (either the pleural effusion or ascites) may be taken and sent to a laboratory for testing.
- A biopsy may be taken. A biopsy is a small sample of tissue. This will be sent to a laboratory for testing.
- A flexible narrow tube may be used to look for mesothelioma. This is called a mediastinoscopy.
- A PET (positron emission tomography) scan involves the use of an injected weak radioactive substance to look for mesothelioma using a PET machine.
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