How are Asbestos diseases detected
Frequently Asked Asbestos Questions
If you believe you have been exposed to asbestos at work, in your community or at home, you should contact a doctor immediately. Regardless of whether you are experiencing symptoms, you should see a doctor and inform him or her of your exposure history. Symptoms of mesothelioma and other asbestos-induced illnesses may not appear for decades. When, and if, symptoms do develop, they usually include:
- Breathlessness or shortness of breath
- A cough that won't go away
- Coughing up blood
- Wheezing or hoarseness
- Fatigue or anemia
- Trouble swallowing
- Pain or tightening in the chest
- Swelling of the neck or face
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
Your doctor may conduct a physical exam, lung function tests or a chest x-ray. Medical professionals commonly use x-rays to detect asbestos-induced illnesses. While x-rays cannot find asbestos fibers, they can show signs of lung disease. A CT scan may be also be used as this has been more successful at finding lung abnormalities.
If your physician believes you may be suffering from a lung abnormality, he or she may conduct a lung biopsy. This technique can find asbestos fibers in the lung tissue. A bronchoscopy may also be performed as a less invasive option to the lung biopsy. Unfortunately, these tests cannot establish how much exposure the patient had or whether they will develop related illnesses.
Tests of a patient's mucus, feces and urine may be conducted; however, these cannot determine the amount of asbestos present in the person's lungs.
