Scanners are used to detect cancers.
The equipment used to diagnose cancer has been improving over the years, allowing earlier treatment and thus increasing the chances of a cure. Although equipment choice is often determined by cancer type, Cancer Research UK lists scanners, X-ray and ultrasound machines and gamma cameras as some of the equipment used in the diagnosis of cancer.
Scanners
CT scanners combine X-rays and computer technology to show images of the body "in slices." This equipment successfully detects very small tumors, according to Bupa Cromwell Cancer Centre. The MRI scanner does not use X-ray radiation, and still shows tumors very clearly. Cancer Research UK reports that this equipment is often used for detecting brain tumors, primary bone tumors, soft tissue sarcomas and spinal cord tumors. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners show, with precision, the function and appearance of body tissues. Cancer Research UK notes that PET scanners are often used to look for cancer in the lymph nodes or to find out if the tumor has spread to other organs.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound equipment has a microphone linked to a computer that emits ultrahigh frequency sound waves. According to Cancer Research UK, when passed over the body, the waves bounce off the internal organs and the microphone transforms the reflected sound waves into an image. Bupa Cromwell Cancer Centre states that this diagnostic method is useful for detecting cancer of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, breast, ovaries and prostate.
X-Ray
Radiography detects tumors through pictures using high energy rays, according to Cancer Research UK. It is often used in the diagnosis of lung and breast cancer. A barium X-ray is used to detect cancers of the digestive system. Cancer Research UK explains that the patient swallows a barium solution, allowing a better view of the stomach and bowels through radiography.
Gamma Cameras
According to Bupa Cromwell Cancer Centre, gamma cameras show radioisotopes injected in the bloodstream. They are commonly used to detect metastases (secondary tumors), which sometimes are difficult to detect through other methods.
Tags: Cancer Research, Bupa Cromwell, Bupa Cromwell Cancer, Cancer Centre, Cromwell Cancer
