Diagnostic Modalities

CT/CT-guided Biopsy/PET CT

CT Scans, (Computed Tomography), CT-guided biopsies, and PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography), are medical imaging technologies that enable physicians to diagnose diseases like skin cancer more quickly and to determine more precisely which stage the cancer is in - information that is invaluable in developing an effective treatment plan.

Breslow Thickness and Clark Level Index

These tests are performed in Sturdy Memorial Hospital's Pathology Lab as a way to determine the prognosis or severity of melanoma. Breslow thickness, or the thickness of the tumor, is an important factor in staging melanoma, while the Clark Level Index is used to determine the number of layers of skin penetrated by a tumor. The thinner and more shallow the tumor, the more optimistic the prognosis.