Tests Used to Diagnose and Track Ewing's Sarcoma
Here are links to discussions of a number of tests that are used to diagnose and track Ewing's sarcoma:
- CT scan, a.k.a. a CAT scan or computed axial tomography scan
- MRI scan, a.k.a. a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan or a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) imaging scan
- PET scan, a.k.a. a Positron Emission Tomography (see below)
- Bone scan (see below)
- Bone marrow biopsy
A number of tests are used to monitor the side effects of the chemotherapies:
- MUGA scan, a.k.a. a Multiple Gated Acquisition scan (a noninvasive heart function test)
- EKG, a.k.a. an electrocardiogram or ECG (a noninvasive heart function test)
- ECHO, a.k.a. an echocardiogram (a heart function test)
- PFT, a.k.a. a pulmonary function test (a noninvasive lung function test)
Related Pointers
PET Scan
- The use of PET scans are being investigated (2002 abstract; 2001 abstract)
- In some cases, PET is better (2000 case study; 2001 abstract [PET had more false positive lesions]; 2000 abstract stating that the PET scan was reasonable at determining if a bone tumor is responding to chemo; 2003 abstract of a case study where the PET was better than the MRI)
- Using PET with CT might be good (2001 abstract discussing lung mets in Ewing's)
Bone scan
- 1999 abstract stating that three-phase dynamic bone scintigraphy (TPBS) could be helpful to find mets