How Kaposi's sarcoma is diagnosed

You may begin by seeing your GP, who will examine you and check your general health. Your GP will arrange for you to have some tests. You may be referred to a hospital for specialist advice and treatment.

If you already know you have HIV or Aids, you will probably begin by seeing your HIV specialist.

At the hospital you will need to have blood tests and a full examination. Your whole body will be checked, as the lesions can be found on any areas of the skin, including the inside of the mouth, the palms of the hands, the scalp, and the soles of the feet. Although your doctor may suspect that you have KS by simply looking at the lesions, a biopsy is usually done to confirm the diagnosis.

Biopsy Back To Top

This is generally a quick and simple procedure, which can often be done in an outpatient department. Using a local anaesthetic to numb the area, the doctor removes a small piece of the lesion or lump for examination under a microscope. The area may be sore for a few days afterwards.

Further tests Back To Top

If a diagnosis of KS is confirmed, further tests are usually done to see if there are any signs of KS cells elsewhere in your body. These may include any of the following:

Chest x-ray Back To Top

This may be done to check for signs of KS in your lungs and airways (bronchial passages). As lung infections are common in people with Aids, it may be difficult in this situation to tell whether changes on the x-ray are actually caused by KS. A CT scan may be done to confirm the diagnosis.

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 inside of the body. The scan is painless but takes from 10–30 minutes. It can help to show whether there are any signs of KS in other parts of the body. It is particularly useful for diagnosing KS in the lymph nodes.

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.

You may be given a drink or injection of a dye which allows particular areas to be seen more clearly. For a few minutes, this may make you feel hot all over. If you are allergic to iodine or have asthma you could have a more serious reaction to the injection, so it is important to let your doctor know beforehand.

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

Endoscopy Back To Top

This procedure enables the doctor to look inside the body, through a thin flexible tube called an endoscope that is passed down your throat. The endoscope has a tiny camera and a light on the end. If necessary, the doctor can take a small sample of the cells (a biopsy) to be examined under a microscope.

A mild sedative helps you to relax during the test and a local anaesthetic will be sprayed onto your throat to prevent any discomfort as the tube is passed down. The doctor or nurse endoscopist can examine your windpipe, lungs (bronchoscopy), oesophagus and stomach (gastroscopy) in this way, and check for any signs of KS.

Colonoscopy Back To Top

Another type of endoscopy is used to examine your large bowel (colon). This test is called a colonoscopy. The bowel must be empty for this test so a careful diet must be followed for a few days beforehand and you may be given laxatives to take. A bowel wash-out is usually done just before the test. This involves a nurse gently passing a tube into your back passage while you are lying on your left side. Water is then passed through the tube. You will be asked to hold the liquid in your bowel for a few minutes before you go to the toilet.

Just before the colonoscopy you may be given a mild sedative to help you to relax. Once you are lying comfortably on your side the doctor or specialist nurse will gently pass a flexible tube (called a colonoscope) into your back passage. The tube can easily pass around the curves of the bowel, and the lining of most of the bowel can be examined. A light and camera on the inside of the tube helps the doctor or nurse to see any abnormal areas or swelling.

Most people are ready to go home a couple of hours after their test. It is a good idea to arrange for someone to collect you from the hospital, as it is best not to drive for several hours after a sedative.

Lung function tests Back To Top

If tests show that your lungs have been affected you may have lung function tests to check how well your lungs are working. You will be asked to blow into a machine so that a series of measurements can be taken to show how well your lungs are working.