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A CT scan may be taken of your chest and abdomen. It will help to show the size and position of the mesothelioma. CT scanning can also help tell whether the disease has spread to other parts of your body.
A CT scan is a type of X-ray that creates a picture of a cross-section, or slice, of the inside of the body. It will give a clear picture of your lungs. You lie on a special couch while it moves through a large hollow ring. X-rays pass through your body, and a picture is displayed on a TV screen. This is painless. Many pictures may need to be taken, but each one takes only a few seconds.
You may be asked to drink a dye or to have it injected. The dye shows up on X-ray, and so gives a fuller picture. This may make you flush hot all over for several minutes. Occasionally, it can cause sickness.
The dose of X-ray radiation is more than for an ordinary X-ray, but still within levels considered a low risk, and so a CT scan is regarded as safe. Rarely, some people are allergic to the dye, but this can be treated straight away.
See our tests section for more information on having a CT scan.
