Diagnosing Ewing Family of Tumors

Tests that study the bone and the soft tissue are employed in the diagnosis or determining the staging of the Ewling Family of Tumors.

The tests and procedures comprise of:

• Physical examination – An examination of the body is done for checking the presence of any indications of disease like formations of lumps or any irregular finding. The patient’s past health patterns and history of ailments are also delved in detail.
• CBC  or Complete blood count – During this procedure, the blood sample is taken and scanned for:
  • The amount of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC) and platelets.
  • The haemoglobin content (the protein carrying oxygen) in the RBCs.
  • The part of the blood sample comprising of RBCs.
• Blood chemistry studies – During this procedure, the blood sample is analysed for checking the quantity of particular substances like LDH or lactate dehydrogenase that is produced by the organs and tissues in the body. An abnormal (elevated or depleted level than normal) amount of certain substances could be an indicator of a disease in that particular organ or tissue that constitutes it.
• Sedimentation rate – The rate of settling of the RBCs to the base of the test tube is known as the Sedimentation rate. A blood sample needs to be drawn for this procedure.
• X-ray – A form of energy ray that could pass via the body and onto film producing images of the interiors of the body.
• Magnetic resonance imaging or MRI – In this procedure also known as NMRI (Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging) a magnet, radio waves and a computer is employed for developing a sequence of comprehensive images of locations within the body.
• CT or CAT scan – In this procedure also known as computed/ computerized/computerized axial tomography, a sequence of in-depth pictures of the interiors of the body are shot from varied angles by employing a computer connected to an x-ray machine. A dye might be either intravenously administered or swallowed so that the organs or tissues could appear more distinctly in the scan.
• Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy procedure – During aspiration, the bone marrow, blood and a tiny part of the bone is removed by introducing a fine, hollow needle within the hipbone following which samples are drawn that are sent for microscopic analysis for checking for any indications of cancer.
• Bone Scan – A procedure for checking the presence of rapidly proliferating cells like the cancer cells in the bone. An infinitesimal amount of radioactive material is intravenously administered which passes through the blood stream and finally accumulating in the bones which can be diagnosed by a scanner.
• PET or Positron emission tomography scan – A procedure for detecting malignant tumor cells in the body by using a small quantity of radioactive glucose or sugar that is intravenously administered. The rotary motion of the PET scanner around the body produces simultaneous images of locations where glucose is getting utilised in the body. Malignant or cancerous growths appear brighter in the PET scans as they are increasingly active and taking up major amounts of glucose as compared to normal cells would usually do.

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