Ultrasound is one of the commonly used imaging tests in diagnosing many different diseases, including cervical cancer . So, if only performed alone, can ultrasound detect cervical cancer?
If you have the same question, let’s find the answer through the article below!
Can ultrasound detect cervical cancer?
Ultrasound is a method that uses high-frequency sound waves to record detailed images of structures inside the body. Ultrasound has the advantages of being simple, fast, safe, non-invasive because it does not require exposure to radiation, does not cause pain to the operator, and is cheap.
Can ultrasound detect cervical cancer ? The answer is that this technique can help detect tumors in the cervix. However, this method cannot determine whether this tumor is benign or malignant (cancerous).
What methods are used to diagnose cervical cancer?
Understanding the methods of diagnosing cervical cancer will also help you better understand whether ultrasound can detect cervical cancer.
To diagnose cervical cancer, your doctor needs to take many steps, including:
- Ask about your and your family’s medical history, the symptoms you are experiencing, and give specific advice based on each case.
- Pelvic examination and PAP test ordered . PAP is performed when the patient is not menstruating. The doctor will take a sample from the cervix and examine it under a microscope to see if it is pre-cancerous or cancerous.
- They examined the lymph nodes to see if the cancer had spread here or not.
- Colposcopy is the main test for cervical cancer, taking about 15-30 minutes. You lie on the gynecological examination table while the doctor opens your vagina with a speculum. They then use a colposcope to observe the surface of the cervix. If there are abnormal areas, they will remove a small piece of cervical lining ( biopsy ) and send it to a laboratory. After looking under a microscope, the doctor can determine whether the abnormal area is pre-cancerous or cancerous.
- Your doctor may also perform blood tests and measure levels of cancer markers (substances that can increase when cancer is present) to aid in diagnosis.
What does the ultrasound image of cervical cancer mean?
Can ultrasound detect cervical cancer? Ultrasound images of cervical cancer are important in early diagnosis of the disease as well as determining the stage of the disease. After diagnosing cervical cancer with a biopsy, your doctor may order an ultrasound. Specifically as follows:
- Abdominal or pelvic ultrasound: Can abdominal ultrasound detect cervical cancer? The purpose is for further examination to determine the stage of the disease. Abdominal ultrasound images will help detect cervical cancer that has metastasized to pelvic lymph nodes, abdominal aorta lymph nodes or lesions caused by tumor compression in the pelvic area (renal pelvis dilatation, ureter compression, …), and at the same time observe whether the liver has metastasized or not.
- Transvaginal ultrasound: This ultrasound image will help the doctor clearly see the location of invasive lesions, the size of the lesions and abdominal fluid.
Cervical ultrasound imaging can also help predict response to treatment such as neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with cervical cancer.
