Imaging Studies
Imaging Studies
Imaging studies are performed first, to scan the body for a possible kidney tumor. Here's a list of imaging studies that are commonly used when your child is diagnosed:
| Imaging Study | Reason for the Test |
|---|---|
| Abdominal Ultrasound | To evaluate the size of the tumor and to identify the exact location of the tumor. Usually the first test performed. |
| Doppler Ultrasound | Uses sound waves to check if the tumor has grown into blood vessels. |
| CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis | To determine how far the tumor has grown in and around the kidney. |
| CT scan of the lungs | To determine whether the tumor has spread (metastasized) to the lungs. |
| MRI of the abdomen | MRI scans create images that tend to be more detailed than the images given by CT scans |
| X-Ray of the lung and bone | To see if tumor has spread to the lungs or bones. |
| PET scan | To scan the whole body for tumor |
It is very important for imaging studies to be done really well. Typically, it is best for the imaging studies to be done by a radiology department experienced with dealing with childhood cancers. Often times these places use less radiation in the imaging scans than do places who typically deal with adults. For some imaging studies (e.g. MRI scans) your child may need to be sedated so that he or she is able to stay completely still, giving more accurate results.
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