How to Know You Have Uterine Cancer by MRI Imaging
According to information from the medical website Medline Plus, there are a number of different types of uterine cancer, with the most common beginning in the lining of the uterus (the endometrium). Symptoms of this condition include vaginal discharge or bleeding, localized pain in the hips, difficulty urinating and pain during sexual intercourse. Identifying uterine cancer requires specialized tests performed by your physician, one of which is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
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Instructions
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Understand the main purpose of using MRI imaging to detect uterine cancer. MRI imaging is primarily used to discover how far cancer has spread into the walls of the uterus itself, which allows the doctors to reach a more accurate determination on the staging of the cancer (how far from the initial site it has spread).
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A material may be injected into your veins prior to the testing to help paint a more accurate picture of your internal organs during the MRI. This is referred to as a "contrast" material because it provides a more visible contrast between areas of the body.
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You will then be placed into a tube for up to an hour, during which time the actual testing will take place. During the MRI your body absorbs energy from magnetic and radioactive waves, then the computer reads feedback from those emissions and paints a picture of your internal organs.
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Once the scan is complete, the attending physician will discuss the results with you. In many cases MRI testing is just one of several tests that are concurrently used to identify uterine cancer. More testing likely will be needed if the results from the MRI are either suspicious or inconclusive, so do not count on the MRI alone to provide the final word in whether you have uterine cancer.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have a fear of enclosed spaces, consider opting for an "open MRI." Although this may increase the cost and the overall travel time (because not all hospitals have an open MRI), it might be worth it if you are severely claustrophobic.
