How to effectively diagnose bone cancer? 3 imaging tests for bone cancer

How to effectively diagnose bone cancer? Bone cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in bones or their accessory tissues. It develops rapidly, has a poor prognosis, and a high mortality rate. Common medical methods for diagnosing bone cancer include X-rays, CT, magnetic resonance imaging, and pathological examinations. Today, we will mainly learn about the imaging examinations of bone cancer.

Imaging tests for bone cancer

1. X-ray examination.

X-ray examination can provide valuable information for clarifying the nature, type, and extent of bone tumors and determining treatment guidelines. It is an important examination method for bone tumors. The images of malignant tumors are irregular, with blurred edges, obvious osteolysis, bone destruction, thinning, fracture, and loss. Primary malignant tumors often have periosteal reactions, which can be in the shape of sun rays, onion skin, and Codman triangle.

2. CT and MRI

It can detect diseased tissue earlier with high accuracy.

3. Radionuclide examination

It can be used for early diagnosis of bone metastases.

The diagnosis of bone cancer is closely related to the patient's age, gender, location of the disease, and detailed medical history. When bone cancer is located in a superficial part, it can be confirmed by X-ray observation. Some cases require a multi-step bone cancer diagnosis, including a combination of clinical, X-ray, pathological, and comprehensive analysis, before a final diagnosis can be made.

Next, let’s take a look at some common early manifestations of bone cancer. If the following symptoms occur, seek medical attention promptly for diagnosis.

Common early symptoms of bone cancer

1. A hard lump can be felt on the surface of the bone, with or without pain.

2. Bone and joint pain or swelling, often worse at night. Such symptoms are not necessarily related to activity. The pain may only be felt when pressure is applied, or it may be persistent.

3. Spontaneous fractures are mostly caused by tumor growth that changes the bone structure and weakens its load-bearing function.

4. Fever, weight loss, fatigue and decreased mobility, etc. These symptoms may also occur in the late stage of bone cancer.

In addition, if the following situations occur, they may be early symptoms of bone cancer. It is recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible and undergo relevant examinations to make a clear diagnosis to avoid delaying treatment.

1. If you have unexplained back pain that is not relieved by treatment, you should check your spine for tumors.

2. One or more fractures occur without obvious cause. After treating the fractures, check for osteosarcoma or osteoporosis.