Diagnosis of mesothelioma is just impossible; it is always diagnosed with some different disease. Mesothelioma symptoms always resemble with lung cancer but it is totally different from that. A mesothelioma diagnosis most commonly begins with a complete medical history review and physical examination of a patient who suffers from mesothelioma symptoms and signs including shortness of breath, chest pains, swollen abdomen, and more. The physical exam should involve a number of imaging tests to search for suspicious cell formation. These tests may include:

• X-rays A chest x-ray can reveal pleural effusion which is confined to either the right or left lung. Chest or abdomen x-rays can reveal fluid build-up, masses, or signs of non-cancerous pleural disease .

• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) PET imaging tests have become one of the most efficient ways of diagnosing mesothelioma tumors as well as determining the staging of the cancer.

• Biopsy A needle biopsy is almost always necessary to confirm a mesothelioma diagnosis. In a biopsy, a sample of tissue is removed and examined under a microscope to test for cancer cells. Depending on the location of the abnormal area, a biopsy can be done in different ways including:

• Computed Tomography (CT) Scan CT scans are also able to define pleural effusion, as well as pleural thickening, pleural calcification, thickening of interlobular fissures a series of detailed images of the body. CT scans can locate pleural disease, chest wall invasions, and can guide fine needle aspiration tests. However, CT scans cannot differentiate between benign or malignant mesothelioma.

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MRI scans use a computer-linked magnet to photograph details of the inside of the body and can determine the severity of a tumor.

• Thoracoscopy - If the cancer is located in the pleura, a small incision will be made through the chest wall and a thoracoscope will be inserted to obtain a tissue sample.

• Peritoneoscopy If the cancer is in the abdominal cavity, a doctor will use a peritoneoscope to obtain sample tissue for further examination.