Your child’s comfort and anxiety levels always will be considered in planning procedures that involve needles. Tissue samples from the biopsy are sent to the pathologist, who will examine the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. X ray A chest X ray may be necessary to determine whether the disease has spread to the lungs. A chest X ray takes a picture of the organs and bones inside the chest. CT Scan (CAT Scan) The computerized axial tomography (CT or CAT) scan is a computer-assisted X ray that shows very detailed pictures of areas inside the body from different angles. The procedure is painless and quick, but children must lie completely still during the scan. Some children require sedation to help them lie still. Your child may be asked not to eat or drink for several hours before the exam, and it may be necessary for him or her to drink a liquid containing a flavorless dye that makes the picture clearer. Usually a small amount of dye is injected into a vein. Generally, no side effects occur from either type of dye, although allergic reactions are possible. MRI Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a test that gives very exact pictures of organs and tumors inside the body. Your child will lie on a table that will then move into a tube-like machine that surrounds your child with a magnetic field. The test is painless, but the machine makes a loud banging noise that may be scary for some children. Children must be able to lie completely still during the scan, and some may require sedation. PET Scan A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a procedure that provides images of the body similar to MRI and CT scans, but with a big difference. MRI and CT provide very detailed images of the body that show the size and shape of organs and tumors, but PET scans show the chemical and functional changes within the body. Functional changes take place before physical changes, and as a result, the PET scan can help diagnose cancer early. The PET scan involves three steps: injection of a radioactive material, a waiting period (30–60 minutes), and scanning by the PET machine. During the waiting period and the scanning, your child must lie still. The scanning process is painless, but some children may require sedation. Bone Scan During a bone scan, a small amount of radioactive material is injected into your child’s vein and travels throughout his or her blood system. After 2–3 hours, a scanner takes pictures of your child’s entire body as she or he lies still. The scanning process is painless, but some children may require sedation. Ultrasound Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves and their echoes to make cross-sectional images of the inside of your child’s body. Clear jelly is placed over the part of the body that is being studied. A small, round handle is then placed on the jelly and moved around to get a clear picture of the tissue or organ. An ultrasound is painless and produces no radiation.
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