Diagnosis, investigations and tests

Your medical team may request some of the following tests and investigations:

 

Blood tests – These will check your general health, including your bone marrow, liver and kidney function. The test will also look for Alfa-fetoprotein serum. This is a protein found in abnormal amounts in the blood of patients with cancer. Find out more about blood tests and book your next appointment.

 

CT Scan - CT scans take cross sectional images of your body. This normally takes around 20 minutes. You may be given a special dye to help show more detail in the scan images. Read more about CT scans.

 

MRI Scan – MRI uses magnetism and radio waves to create three dimensional images. The scan itself normally takes around 45 minutes to one hour. You may be given a special dye to help show more detail in the scan images. Discover more about MRI scans.

 

Liver biopsy – This is performed in Radiology under ultrasound guidance and sometimes CT, depending on the location of the tumour. The sample taken is sent to the histology laboratory for analysis which helps confirm diagnosis.