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- Imaging
- • Abdominal ultrasound is one way to evaluate the abdomen if a mass is suspected. It can reveal the presence of
- fluid in the abdomen and is particularly useful for distinguishing a solid mass from a non-cancerous
- accumulation of fluid within the pelvis or liver (benign cyst).
- • A bone scan will identify most tumor spread to the bones. It involves the injection of a special radionuclide
- into a vein, followed by whole-body imaging by a special camera. The image produced is a miniaturized
- skeleton that may show abnormal areas. But abnormal findings on a bone scan almost always have to be
- evaluated further with plain x-rays of the suspicious area.
- • A CT scan is useful for determining the extent of a tumor within the head, chest or abdomen and for evaluating
- the possible spread of tumorous tissue into lymph nodes or other structures in the abdomen.
- • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may help determine if the cancer can be surgically removed, but it is
- usually not necessary.
- • If metastases have been found on biopsy , a chest x-ray should be done because the lungs are a very common
- site of metastases
