X-Ray
An X-ray is electromagnetic energy that passes through the body with varying amounts being absorbed. Soft tissue in the body absorbs much less of the X-ray than hard tissue like bones or teeth. If a doctor wants to get a better picture of soft tissue the patient has to have a substance put into that tissue that absorbs X-rays more efficiently. To look at the blood vessels, for example, a doctor might inject the patient with something that will travel in the bloodstream and absorb the X-rays.
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X-rays are generated inside a machine that is surrounded by lead except for a window which the X-rays pass through on their way to the patient being examined. The patient sits in front of a detector or film that has a chemical reaction when the X-rays hit it. This creates the black and white X-ray negative picture of the internal masses. X-rays are less risky than
surgery, but large doses of X-ray
radiation can be very harmful to the body (1).
Because some of the damage associated with asbestos exposure thickens the pleura, the lining of the lungs, or causes scarring of the tissue, indications of these things show up on an X-ray. The X-ray by itself isn't detailed enough to make a certain diagnosis, but it gives doctors a relatively safe and fast way to spot potential problem areas.
CAT scans use the same theory as X-rays, but rather than taking a single image, a CAT scan takes many images that are then put together by a computer to give a three dimensional picture. The information comes out with far more detail than the usual shadows that are what is shown in a traditional X-ray. This information helps the doctor refine his or her diagnosis and devise the most effective treatment plan.