Other Imaging

Key information

Information to look for and pay attention to and to document with regard to collecting pertinent information about the patient's cancer

Size of primary tumor, extension or involvement of other structures or organs, masses which press upon other organs, involvement of distant sites

• CT Scany, Any Site

  Includes:
  Computer assisted scanning of brain, pelvis, liver, spleen, adrenal glands, or other organs and areas not included elsewhere for evidence of distant metastases. Computer assisted scanning includes CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Excludes: scanning procedures requiring the ingestion of radioisotopes (gallium, technetium (Tc99m), and so forth).

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, diffuse nodularity, decreased uptake, decreased activity, mass effect.

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality of the organs assessed as part of the scan.

• Imaging

  Includes:
  CT, tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) scan.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, adenopathy, mass, enlargement, metastases.

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality, as well as references to calcifications, granulomas, vascular abnormalities, congenital anomalies, and other benign conditions.

• Imaging, Abdomen

  Includes:
  Abdominal x-ray, Kidneys-Ureters-Bladder (KUB), abdominal flat plate, abdominal CT scan, MRI scan, nuclear scan of the abdominal cavity. The following organs would be visualized during an abdominal scan: colon, small bowel, internal genital organs, retroperitoneum, urinary tract, and skeletal structure of the lower trunk.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Mass, lesion, distortion, displacement, area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, diffuse nodularity; decreased uptake, decreased activity, abnormal concentration (gallium scan).

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality of the organs in the abdomen or retroperitoneum.

• Imaging, Abdomen/Pelvis

  Includes:
  Abdominal x-ray, Kidneys-Ureters-Bladder (KUB), abdominal flat plate, abdominal CT scan, pelvic CT scan, MRI scan, nuclear scan of the abdominal cavity or pelvis. The following organs would be visualized during an abdominal or pelvic scan: colon, small bowel, internal genital organs, retroperitoneum, urinary tract, and skeletal structure of the lower trunk.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Mass, lesion, distortion, displacement, area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, diffuse nodularity; decreased uptake, decreased activity, abnormal concentration (gallium scan).

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality of the organs in the abdomen, retroperitoneum, or pelvis.

• Imaging, Bone

  Includes:
  Skull films, bone scan, technetium (Tc99m) scan, CT scan of bone, metastatic skeletal survey.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Direct extension of tumor into any bone, lytic lesion, osteolytic lesion, blastic lesion, osteoblastic lesion, area(s) of increased uptake, bony destruction. Exceptions: use of these terms in conjunction with a (suspected) diagnosis of arthritis, fracture or osteomyelitis.

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to lesion or increased uptake.

• Imaging, Brain

  Includes:
  Brain scan, CT scan of brain, technetium (Tc99m) brain scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of the brain. Isotope brain scans are useful for identifying meningiomas, glioblastomas, and large metastatic deposits.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Translucent zone, low density zone, edema, mass effect, area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, diffuse nodularity; decreased uptake, decreased activity.

  Key words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality in the brain.

• Imaging, Chest

  Includes:
  Lung scan, CT chest, perfusion scan of lung, and ventilation scan of lung, lung tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) scan of the lung, bronchography.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, hilar adenopathy, hilar or mediastinal mass, hilar enlargement, pleural effusion, multiple pulmonary nodules, pleural masses, rib lesion with adjacent soft tissue mass, mediastinal mass, metastases.

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality in the liver, spleen and adrenal glands, as well as references to calcifications, hamartomas, granulomas, bronchogenic cysts, vascular abnormalities, and other benign conditions.

• Imaging, Liver/Spleen

  Includes:
  Liver/spleen scan, technetium (Tc99m) scan of liver and spleen, gallium scan of liver.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, diffuse nodularity; decreased uptake, decreased activity, cold spot (liver scan); abnormal concentration (gallium scan).

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality in the liver, spleen and adrenal glands.

• Imaging, Lung

  Includes:
  Lung scan, CT chest, perfusion scan of lung, and ventilation scan of lung, whole lung tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) scan of the lung, bronchography. Excludes: standard chest x-ray.

  Key words/possible involvement:
  Area of increased density, area of enhanced contrast, area of high radioactivity, space occupying lesion, hilar adenopathy, hilar or mediastinal mass, hilar enlargement, pleural effusion, multiple pulmonary nodules, pleural masses, rib lesion with adjacent soft tissue mass, mediastinal mass, metastases.

  Other words/no involvement:
  If there is no specific reference to visible abnormality in the liver, spleen and adrenal glands, as well as references to calcifications, hamartomas, granulomas, bronchogenic cysts, vascular abnormalities, and other benign conditions