"thoracotomy" - 1 õppematerjal

Rational Use of Diagnostic Tests

diminished anatomic superimposition.[3,4] CT may be less specific though, since it detects more lesions, many of which may be nonneoplastic. It would make sense to use CT scan as a screening test. However, it is less readily available, more expensive, and requires general anesthesia, which increases risk to the patient and cost to the owner. Therefore, radiographs are still more commonly used. However, situations exist where CT scan should be strongly considered. For example, prior to thoracotomy for pulmonary mass excision, CT scan should be recommended to better characterize lymph node size and determine the presence of smaller lesions, since both findings strongly affect prognosis.[5] In general, less expensive, less invasive, and less risky tests are offered first, although owners should be made aware that more expensive, more invasive tests may follow if diagnosis is not achieved. For example, fine needle aspiration and cytologic evaluation are often