At present, the most commonly used imaging methods are chest radiograph, chest CT, chest magnetic resonance and chest PET-CT examination. Chest radiograph can only be used as a primary screening method at present because of its low resolution. The detection efficiency of chest CT is more than 20% higher than that of chest X-ray. Therefore, it is the most widely used imaging method in clinic.
Because the lung is an organ containing gas, the detection efficiency of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the chest is not as high as that of chest CT.
At present, PET-CT is the most effective clinical examination method for lung tumors, but because of its high price and certain isotope radiation, PET-CT is only used as a definitive further diagnosis method.
Hematological detection mainly refers to blood sampling to check tumor markers in blood. For example, CEA in blood is also called carcinoembryonic antigen. When CEA in blood is elevated and chest imaging examination has lung lesions, it can be comprehensively judged that the possibility of lung cancer is high.
Pathological diagnosis often refers to histological and pathological examination through bronchoscope or percutaneous biopsy, which is the gold standard for lung cancer diagnosis. In some cases, if lung cancer is highly considered in imaging examination, it is also possible to perform surgery directly and confirm the pathology during operation.
The final diagnosis standard of lung cancer is pathology, so how to obtain pathological tissue is the key to diagnose lung cancer, and other tests can be used as an auxiliary diagnosis method.
First, CT examination
As the most important examination method to find lung cancer, CT is of great significance to the diagnosis of lung cancer. CT can find lung tumors, determine the size, location and adjacent relationship with surrounding tissues, and provide basis for further examination.
Second, the PET-CT examination
PET-CT, as a nuclear medicine examination, can further characterize the possible tumor lesions in the lungs and the whole body. Malignant tumor can show abnormal nuclide concentration, thus distinguishing benign tumor. However, PET-CT can only make further judgments, and cannot replace pathological values.
Third, bronchoscopy
Bronchoscope can enter the airway, find the tumor growing in the hilum of the lung, and get the diseased tissue under direct vision, so as to make a clear pathological diagnosis.
Ultrasonic bronchoscopy (EBUS) and transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy (TBNA)
Install ultrasonic probe in front of bronchoscope, cooperate with special needle aspiration biopsy needle, and perform ultrasonic-guided needle aspiration biopsy during bronchoscopy to avoid accidental puncture of large blood vessels. The purpose is also to obtain pathological tissue and make a clear pathological diagnosis.
Five, CT-guided puncture biopsy
This is also one of the most commonly used methods to confirm pathological diagnosis. Under the guidance of CT, a special biopsy needle is used to puncture the tumor site and grab the tumor tissue.
Six, sputum exfoliation cytological examination
Collect the patient's sputum and send it for exfoliative cytology. If tumor cells can be found in sputum, it can also be used as the final diagnosis basis of lung cancer.
Seven. Biopsy pathology of metastatic lesions
If the patient has found lesions outside the lung, such as swollen lymph nodes in the neck and clavicle, the diagnosis can be made by puncture biopsy of these swollen lymph nodes, and if cancer cells are found by puncture pathology, it can also be used as the final diagnosis basis.
Eight, surgical resection of tumor examination
Direct resection of lung cancer after surgery is a therapeutic diagnosis, and other patients with high suspicion of lung cancer can also be directly resected and sent for pathological examination.
In short, there are many ways to diagnose lung cancer, but the final means is to get the pathology, which is also the gold standard for diagnosing lung cancer.