Diagnosis of Benign Mesothelioma
Diagnosis of benign mesothelioma is the same as that for malignant mesothelioma. The reason for this is that it is not possible to distinguish between the tumours without thorough testing.
Diagnosis usually begins with a doctor analysing the patient's medical history thoroughly. this includes making enquiries as to whether the patient has ever knowingly been exposed to asbestos which will help determine whether the tumour may possibly be cancerous.
The next step in the diagnosis of benign mesothelioma is to conduct a thorough physical examination which will include x-rays of the chest or abdomen, depending on where the tumor is located. A CT scan or MRI may also be necessary in order to get a more detailed image of the area which is affected.
Finally a biopsy (ie taking a small sample of tissue from the tumour for microscopic examination) will be performed to confirm the diagnosis of mesothelioma and this will also tell doctors whether the tumour is benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Whilst most biopsies involve inserting a hollow needle into the tumour to collect a sample of the tumour, it may also be necessary to cut a small hole in the body and insert a tube with a camera attached to examine the tumour closely. If neither of these are viable options because of the location of the tumour, then invasive surgery will be necessary in order to find out what type of tumour the patient has.
