lymphoma diagnosis |Diagnostics and tests

Diagnostics and tests



How is lymphoma diagnosed?
A number of different exams and tests are usually needed to diagnose lymphoma and determine the extent to which the disease has spread. Depending on your case, the doctor can use all of these tests or some of them to determine the best way to treat your illness. To make a diagnosis, doctors have different sources of information:

Your medical history: Your family's history of illness, your own history, your general health, etc.
The physical exam.
X-rays: procedure in which low-dose beams of rays are used to give images of the interior of the organism for diagnostic purposes.
Computed tomography: A series of x-rays to obtain detailed three-dimensional images of the interior of the body.
MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging): a technique used to obtain three-dimensional images of the body. An MRI is similar to a CT, but it uses magnets instead of X-rays.
Gallium scan: Gallium is a chemical absorbed by some cancer cells, so it can help doctors visualize cancer in the body. During this procedure, a non-hazardous amount of radioactive gallium is injected into the patient, which then undergoes an X-ray in which the radioactive gallium reveals the tumor (s). This test is done in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the hospital.
PET (Positron emission tomography): A method for visualizing cancer in the body. Radioactive glucose (a sugar molecule used as a source of energy by the cells) is injected into the patient and preferably used by cells with high metabolic activity, such as cancer cells. A scanner then allows to visualize the areas of the body in which the radioactive glucose is concentrated. The pet also takes place in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the hospital.
Laboratory tests: Blood and urinary tests.
Biopsy: This is one of the most important steps in the diagnosis of the type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). It consists of collecting a tissue sample (cells), and is usually performed by a surgeon. The cells are then examined under a microscope. Most patients undergo two types of biopsy: one of the lymph nodes and one of the bone marrow. The biopsy of the lymph nodes confirms the diagnosis of NHL, and that of the bone marrow determines whether the NHL has invaded the bone marrow (if it has spread in it). All this information makes it possible to establish a precise diagnosis and to define the best treatment for each person.
If you have been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (LLC), the tests may be slightly different. Here are some tests that may be necessary:

Blood form to check the number of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets
Flow cytometry for detecting the presence of leukemic cells
Bone marrow Aspiration and biopsy to look for abnormal cells in the bone marrow
Molecular genetics using a technique called FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization/fluorescence in situ hybridization) or cytogenetics to search for genetic mutations in LLC cells (which can be used in the prognosis )
Studies of blood chemistry, to measure certain substances present in the blood.
The result of these tests will allow you and your doctor to make the right treatment decisions. Other prognostic tests may be available only in specialized laboratories or can be performed only for research purposes. Currently, treatment decisions are generally based on clinical outcomes (symptoms, physical examination and blood tests).