The procedure takes around 30 to 40 minutes.Ī newer procedure is called an endobronchial ultrasound scan (EBUS), which combines a bronchoscopy with an ultrasound scan. The procedure may be uncomfortable, so you'll be offered a sedative before it starts, to help you relax, and a local anaesthetic to make your throat numb. If a CT scan shows there might be cancer in the central part of your chest, you may be offered a bronchoscopy.Ī bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows a doctor to see the inside of your airways and remove a small sample of cells (biopsy).ĭuring a bronchoscopy, a thin tube with a camera at the end, called a bronchoscope, is passed through your mouth or nose, down your throat and into your airways. The scan is painless and takes 30 to 60 minutes. You'll be asked to lie down on a table, which slides into the PET scanner. This can help with diagnosis and choosing the best treatment.īefore having a PET-CT scan, you'll be injected with a slightly radioactive material. The PET-CT scan (which stands for positron emission tomography-computerised tomography) can show where there are active cancer cells. You may have a PET-CT scan may be done if the results of a CT scan show you have cancer. The scan is painless and takes 10 to 30 minutes. A CT scan uses X-rays and a computer to create detailed images of the inside of your body.īefore having a CT scan, you'll be given an injection containing a special dye called a contrast medium, which helps to improve the quality of the images. CT scanĪ CT scan is usually the next test you'll have after a chest X-ray. If a chest X-ray suggests you may have lung cancer, you should be referred to a specialist in chest conditions.Ī specialist can arrange more tests to investigate whether you have lung cancer and, if you do, what type it is and how much it's spread. However, chest X-rays cannot give a definitive diagnosis because they often cannot distinguish between cancer and other conditions, such as a lung abscess (a collection of pus that forms in the lungs). Most lung tumours appear on X-rays as a white-grey mass. Chest X-rayĪ chest X-ray is usually the 1st test used to diagnose lung cancer. You may be asked to have a blood test to rule out some of the possible causes of your symptoms, such as a chest infection. They may examine you and ask you to breathe into a device called a spirometer, which measures how much air you breathe in and out. The GP will ask about your general health and your symptoms. See a GP if you have symptoms of lung cancer, such as breathlessness or a persistent cough.
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