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Cancer treatment options are more plentiful than ever. At CHI Health Cancer Care, patients have access to the most advanced cancer treatment close to home. Our cancer treatment services include surgery, medical and radiation oncology, interventional radiology, treatment modalities, dedicated inpatient and outpatient cancer centers and a wide array of support services.
A contrast substance is injected into the arteries to enhance visibility, an X-ray is used to assess blood flow and determine the location and size of tumors. This information is used to plan therapy.
Is helpful in diagnosing and treating cancer. CT scans show bones, organs and soft tissues more clearly than standard x-rays. They are useful in helping physicians find cancer, because the images can be enlarged to make it easier to see areas of concern. CT scans can show a tumor’s shape, size and location, and even the blood vessels that feed the tumor – without surgery. A CT scanner also can be used to help the physician guide a small needle to remove a tissue sample. This is called a CT-guided biopsy. In cancer treatment, a CT scanner can be used to guide needles into tumors for radiofrequency ablation (using heat to destroy a tumor).
Is another essential diagnostic tool. A contrast agent containing glucose, a form of sugar, is injected into to a vein and travels throughout the body. Cancer cells absorb high amounts of this sugar because they have a higher metabolic rate than normal cells. A special camera can then spot these cells. A PET scan is useful when the physician thinks the cancer might have spread but does not know where.
CT and PET scans help physicians detect cancer, evaluate the extent of disease and select the most appropriate treatments. By comparing scans done over time, doctors can determine if the therapy is working and detect any recurrent tumors.
Takes pictures using radio waves and strong magnets instead of x-rays. This test can be helpful in looking at the brain and spinal cord. MRIs can be more uncomfortable than CT scans because they take longer and you need to lie in a narrow tube while the test is done. CHI Health offers the option of “open” MRI, which is less confining.
Is a wand or probe gives off high-frequency sound waves, (above the level detected by human ears), is placed on the skin or into a natural opening to take pictures of the inside of the body. The pattern of their echoes produces a picture called a sonogram, which is displayed on a screen. A gel is often put on the skin first. This test is described in the Breast Ultrasound section above, but ultrasound can also be used to look for cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
