Advanced medical imaging is playing an increasingly important role in the early detection and diagnosis of cancer. Many cancers first present with no symptoms, or non-specific symptoms, leading to delayed diagnosis and less successful treatment.
This article will discuss why early detection is so important in cancer treatment, and how advanced imaging is playing a key role in this. You will learn about different types of advanced imaging technologies and how each plays a role in the diagnosis, characterization, and even treatment of cancers.
The earlier that cancer is detected, the better the outcome. Advanced medical imaging can catch cancers before symptoms have developed, improving the treatment's success. The role of advanced imaging is particularly important in Miami’s fight against cancer as Miami has the 16th-highest cancer mortality rate of US cities, and has skin cancer rates above the national average with cases continuing to rise.
The earlier that cancer is detected, the more successful treatments are likely to be. When cancer is detected at the earlier stages, the survival rates are much higher than when detected at the later stages - this has been shown in many types of cancer. For example, breast cancer has a 5-year survival rate of 99 percent when diagnosed early at stage 1. However, the survival rate drops to 31 percent if diagnosed at stage 4. Treating cancer early not only improves survival rates but also reduces the need for aggressive treatment - tumors will be smaller and won’t have spread as far resulting in less extensive surgery being necessary.
The early developmental stages of cancer are often asymptomatic or have non-specific symptoms making detection and diagnosis difficult. Advanced imaging technologies, including MRI, CT, and PET scans, can detect cancers at the earliest stages before symptoms have developed. These scans produce a detailed image of the body and visualize the size and location of the tumors or other abnormalities so improving the accuracy of early cancer diagnosis.
Medical professionals in Miami are knowledgeable about the importance of early detection in cancer prognosis, and efforts are being made to encourage individuals to get themselves screened. Some university health centers and even some government programs offer screening services in Miami. Ezra has multiple locations in the Miami area where they carry out full body MRI scans. These scans can screen for cancer and other abnormalities in up to 13 organs, and it only takes 1 hour. Ezra utilizes a combination of experienced radiologists and AI to accurately identify any abnormalities.
When you are in the MRI scanner, strong magnets are used to align the hydrogen atoms in your body in the same direction - the physical properties of hydrogen atoms make them behave like tiny magnets. Short bursts of radiofrequency waves are used to knock the hydrogen atoms out of alignment. When the radiofrequency waves are turned off, the hydrogen atoms re-align, and this releases a radio signal that is used to create the detailed image of the body. MRI can distinguish between types of soft tissue. This makes it particularly effective at diagnosing cancers found in soft tissue, such as brain or breast cancers. MRI can show the size and shape of a tumor, and whether the tumor has spread elsewhere in the body, enabling accurate diagnosis and a personalized strategy to be developed.
In CT scans, a narrow X-ray beam moves in a circle around the body to create multiple pictures of the same area taken from different angles. A computer then combines these images to form a detailed cross-section of the area being scanned and the cross-sections can be layered to produce a 3-D image. These images can be analyzed by experts to detect any abnormalities. CT scans are used in diagnosing many forms of cancer, including lung and liver cancers. CT scans can also be used for guiding biopsies and the guiding of needles in some forms of cancer treatment.
PET scans use a radioactive tracer - usually a form of radioactive sugar - which releases small amounts of radiation that can be detected using a special camera. The signals are processed by a computer to produce an image. Cancer cells have high metabolic activity due to their rapid growth, and so require large amounts of energy. The radioactive sugar will be taken up by the cancer cells to provide their energy, and so tumors will be detected and imaged. PET scans can be used to diagnose cancer and to determine whether a treatment has been successful, as they can detect whether the cancer cells are still active.
Advanced imaging, as discussed above, provides detailed information that contributes to the diagnosis and development of cancers. Many methods of imaging can detect the size and location of tumors and whether these have spread to other parts of the body. Advanced imaging, therefore, enables personalized treatment planning whereby therapies can be targeted to the specific cancer identified within each individual. Personalizing medicine results in more successful results.
In addition to the diagnosis and characterization of cancers, advanced imaging is also important in monitoring the success of cancer treatments. Advanced imaging enables regular tracking of changes in the tumor size, whether it is spreading to other parts of the body, and whether the cancer cells are still active. By monitoring the success of different cancer treatments, healthcare providers can adjust treatment plans to ensure that the cancer is being fought most effectively.
The use of advanced imaging in the early diagnosis of cancer, in addition to its role in characterizing cancers and monitoring cancer treatments, improves survival rates. Early diagnosis also decreases the likelihood of requiring aggressive treatments as tumors will be small and won’t have spread into other parts of the body. The presence of leading medical institutions in Miami provides prime access to new and advanced medical technologies, including advanced imaging equipment.
Early detection of cancer is crucial to its successful treatment - the earlier a cancer is caught, the more effective and less aggressive the treatment. The early stages of cancer are often asymptomatic, but advanced imaging techniques can detect cancer at these early stages before symptoms have developed. Advanced imaging technologies include MRI, CT, and PET scans. Each can diagnose different forms of cancer and monitor the effectiveness of cancer treatments. The use of advanced imaging enables precise treatment plans personalized to each individual, thus improving survival rates and the quality of life of individuals with cancer.
There is a wealth of options in Miami for using advanced imaging technology to screen for cancer, including the top imaging facilities and experienced radiologists used by Ezra for their full body scan. Annual screening using advanced imaging allows you to take control of your health by spotting cancer before it takes hold.
If you want to be proactive about your health, why not book an Ezra full-body MRI? Our annual scan catches potential cancer earlier, leveraging AI through the screening process to make it more efficient, affordable, and faster.
