Tests after diagnosis of cervical cancer

Blood tests Back to top

A sample of blood is taken to check the number of blood cells and to see how well your kidneys and liver are working.

Chest x-ray Back to top

This is to check that your lungs and heart are healthy.

Examination under anaesthetic (EUA) Back to top

This is an examination of the vagina and cervix under a general anaesthetic. It allows the doctor to examine you thoroughly without it being uncomfortable. The doctor may also take a look into your bladder and the lower end of your large bowel (the colon and rectum) to see if the cancer has spread.

To look into your bladder the doctor will use a cystoscope, which is a small, fibre-optic tube with a light. If there are any abnormal areas the doctor can use the cystoscope to take biopsies. To look into the lower end of the colon| and the rectum| , the doctor uses a similar tube called a proctosigmoidoscope. This scope is also used to take biopsies from any abnormal areas.

You may have some slight bleeding for a couple of days after this examination.

CT (computerised tomography) scan Back to top

A CT scan takes a series of x-rays which builds up a three-dimensional picture of the body. The scan is painless and takes from 10–30 minutes. CT scans use a small amount of radiation, which will be very unlikely to harm you and will not harm anyone you come into contact with. You will be asked not to eat or drink for at least four hours before the scan.

 

 

Before the scan you’ll be asked to drink a special liquid which shows up on x-ray. Just before the scan, you may be asked to insert a tampon as this helps to identify the exact position of your vagina for the scan.

You’ll probably be able to go home as soon as the scan is over.

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan Back to top

This test is similar to a CT scan but uses magnetism instead of x-rays to build up a detailed picture of areas of your body. Before the scan you may be asked to complete and sign a checklist. This is to make sure that it’s safe for you to have an MRI scan because the scanner is a powerful magnet. The checklist asks about any metal implants you may have, for example a pacemaker, surgical clips, bone pins etc.

You should also tell your doctor if you have ever worked with metal or in the metal industry as very tiny fragments of metal can sometimes lodge in the body. If you do have any metal in your body it’s likely that you won’t be able to have an MRI scan. In this situation another type of scan can be used. Before having the scan, you’ll be asked to remove any metal belongings including jewellery. Some people are given an injection of dye into a vein in the arm, which doesn’t usually cause discomfort. This is called a contrast medium and can help the images from the scan to show up more clearly.

During the test you will be asked to lie very still on a couch inside a long cylinder (tube) for about 30 minutes. It is painless but can be slightly uncomfortable, and some people feel a bit claustrophobic during the scan. It’s also noisy, but you’ll be given earplugs or headphones. You will be able to hear, and speak to, the person operating the scanner.

In some specialist centres, before having an MRI scan a special device known as an MRI endocoil may be placed in your vagina so that it sits around your cervix. The endocoil helps to give clear images of your cervix during the scan. Not all hospitals use the MRI endocoil as it’s still being researched to see how helpful it is.

Positron Emission Tomography scan (PET scan) Back to top

PET scans are a new type of scan and you may have to travel to a specialist centre to have one. They are not always necessary but you can discuss with your doctor whether one would be useful in your case. PET scans can be used to find out whether the cancer has spread beyond the cervix, or to examine any lumps that remain after treatment to see whether they are scar tissue or whether cancer cells are still present.

A PET scan uses low-dose radioactive glucose (a type of sugar) to measure the activity of cells in different parts of the body. A very small amount of a mildly radioactive substance is injected into a vein, usually in your arm. A scan is then taken a couple of hours later. Areas of cancer are usually more active than surrounding tissue and show up on the scan. 

PET/CT scan Back to top

This scan is a combination of a CT scan, which takes a series of x-rays to build up a three dimensional picture with a PET scan, which uses low dose radiation to measure the activity of cells in different parts of the body (see above). It gives more detailed information about the part of the body being scanned. PET/CT scans are a new type of scan and you may have to travel to a specialist centre to have one.

You’ll be asked not to eat for six hours before the scan, although you may be able to drink. You will be given an injection of a mildly radioactive substance into a vein, usually in your arm. The radiation dose used is very small. The scan is then taken after at least an hour. It usually takes between 30–90 minutes.

You should be able to go home as soon as the scan is over.

Waiting for your test results Back to top

It will probably take several days for the results of these tests to be ready. The waiting period will obviously be an anxious time for you. It may help if you can find a close friend or relative to talk things over with. You can also contact our cancer support specialists| on 0808 808 00 00 or another useful organisation| .