Mesothelioma Therapy Diagnosis and Biomarkers for Mesothelioma

Question 1

Which imaging modality is typically performed first when mesothelioma is clinically suspected?

Accepted Answer

Chest X-ray

Answer

PET-CT scan

Answer

MRI of the chest

Answer

Echocardiogram

Question 2

Which CT finding is most characteristic of pleural mesothelioma?

Accepted Answer

Circumferential pleural thickening encasing the lung

Answer

Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy

Answer

Solitary pulmonary nodule in the upper lobe

Answer

Bilateral ground-glass opacities in the lower lobes

Question 3

What is the primary role of PET-CT in the evaluation of mesothelioma?

Accepted Answer

It assesses metabolic activity of pleural disease and detects distant metastases for staging

Answer

It serves as the gold standard for initial tissue diagnosis

Answer

It replaces the need for tissue biopsy

Answer

It directly measures pleural fluid composition and volume

Question 4

Which MRI sequences are most useful for evaluating diaphragmatic and chest wall invasion in mesothelioma?

Accepted Answer

T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted sequences

Answer

T1-weighted without contrast only

Answer

Diffusion-weighted imaging alone

Answer

Proton density sequences

Question 5

What is the most common radiographic finding on initial chest X-ray in patients with pleural mesothelioma?

Accepted Answer

Unilateral pleural effusion

Answer

Spontaneous pneumothorax

Answer

Calcified pleural plaques

Answer

Bilateral mediastinal widening

Question 6

Which nuclear medicine study is most useful for detecting occult distant metastases in mesothelioma staging?

Accepted Answer

FDG-PET scan

Answer

Technetium-99m bone scintigraphy

Answer

Gallium-67 scan

Answer

MIBI myocardial perfusion scan

Question 7

Which CT feature is most suggestive of malignant rather than benign pleural disease?

Accepted Answer

Pleural thickening greater than 1 cm with nodularity or mediastinal pleural involvement

Answer

Small bilateral pleural effusions

Answer

Isolated pleural calcifications without associated thickening

Answer

Unilateral blunting of the costophrenic angle alone