Lung Nodules — What They Are And How They Are Treated The lungs are an incredible organ. Through the lungs, the essential organ of the respiratory system, the body acquires the oxygen required for human life. Of course, as amazing as the lungs are, they are prone to maladies, as all body parts are. One problem that can arise is lung nodules. What Are Lung Nodules? As the Cleveland Clinic defines it, a lung nodule is “a small round or oval-shaped growth in the lung.” Lung nodules are small, being only three centimeters or fewer in diameter — if they are any larger, the nodule is defined as a ma ..read more

By: 1 The Joanna Briggs Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide Adelaide, South Australia 5005   Medical imaging plays an important role in the patient’s journey through illness and disease. For many conditions and ailments, medical imaging, whether it is a simple chest X-ray or a complex scan, plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of illness. Diagnostic imaging may refer to a range of medical procedures, including radiographic and nuclear medicine procedures, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), Positron Emission ..read more

If your doctor has ordered a pelvic ultrasound, she is interested in evaluating your uterus, ovaries, and bladder for abnormalities.  Unlike other diagnostic tools, ultrasound uses sound waves instead of radiation to produce images of the human body and is particularly useful in evaluating soft tissues, organs, and fluids.  A pelvic ultrasound usually consists of two parts: the transabdominal exam and the transvaginal exam. Knowing the purpose of the exam and understanding the preparation and procedure for the first portion will help you to navigate the procedure smoothly.   &nb ..read more

A cardiac CT scan scoring determines if coronary artery disease (CAD) is present and to what extent, even if there are no symptoms. It’s a screening that may be recommended by a physician for patients with risk factors for CAD but no clinical symptoms. Because calcium is a marker of CAD, the amount of calcium detected on a cardiac CT scan is a helpful prognostic tool. The findings on cardiac CT are expressed as a calcium score. This Is also known as coronary artery calcium scoring. Here are some scoring guidelines Coronary calcium score 0: No identifiable plaque. The risk of coronary artery ..read more

Because the small prostate gland is tucked away under the bladder, many men may not even know what the prostate is or its purpose. The prostate produces seminal fluid and is an organ that is largely ignored in the younger years. But once a man reaches age 50, the prostate often makes its presence known. According to WebMD, most men over 50 have a growing prostate that can interfere with urination. It is also responsible for one of the most common forms of cancer in men, second only to skin cancer. Risk Factors Age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. Most cases of prostate cancer ..read more

Radiation is a therapy commonly used in cancer treatment.  Special equipment that directs high-energy particles or wave into areas of the body is used to kill cancer cells. Radiation is often used with other types of cancer treatment to ensure that all abnormal cells are destroyed. It is a highly effective method of treating cancer and has allowed many patients to go on to lead normal, healthy lives after their diagnosis.   How Radiation Therapy Works Many different types of radiation are used for medical treatment. They all work by changing the way cancer cells grow and divide. Norm ..read more

The prostate is a gland found in the male reproductive system. It lies next to the rectum and underneath the bladder. The prostate gland makes fluid found in semen. It’s common for American men to develop prostate cancer. Men who consume a high-fat diet are more at risk of getting this disease. So are African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and men with a family history of this type of cancer. If you have prostate cancer, you may have some of the following symptoms or may be asymptomatic. These are the signs you need to look out for: When you can’t seem to start urinating as soon as yo ..read more

The doctor says you need a PET scan, but what does that mean, exactly? That friendly-sounding acronym stands for “positron emission tomography,” which is a medical diagnostic test using a specialized machine.  Doctors use PET scans to diagnose cancer, cardiac issues, and central nervous system issues such as dementia and epilepsy.  The scans often pinpoint the precise sites of problems.  Follow-up scans measure the progress of treatment like the growth or shrinkage of cancerous tumors. The test itself is relatively simple. A medical professional injects a small amount of radioac ..read more

Fortunately, advances in technology have made it possible for hospitals to offer digital mammography to all women. This means a better opportunity to discover breast cancer sooner. Digital mammography is more successful than traditional film mammography in detecting breast cancer. Initially, digital mammography was only more effective in detecting breast cancer in women with smaller size breasts. However, advances in its technology have made it possible for digital mammography to be just as effective with breasts of all sizes.   No longer are hospitals forced to use both types of scr ..read more

According to the American Cancer Society, as many as 1 in 8 women can have invasive breast cancer at some point in her life. This is a scary thought considering that, as of 2011, 39,520 deaths have been attributed to breast cancer. Of those diagnosed with breast cancer, 1 in 35 women passes away from this horrible disease. Fortunately, being diagnosed with breast cancer is not a death sentence and about two and half million breast cancer survivors prove that. With early detection and prevention, you can help reduce your chance of developing breast cancer and increase your survival rate if you ..read more