Mesothelioma Watch A Comprehensive Consumer Resource Concerning Asbestos & Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is usually diagnosed by x-ray. A common sign associated with mesothelioma infection is what is called a pleural effusion. Pleural effusions are areas inside the lungs where fluid has built up in the lining of the lungs and settles to one place, not moving within the lung cavity. This settling is important because other health problems can present with fluid in the lung cavity. Some people never develop this fluid in the lung, but the percentage of people who do—upward of 95% of patients—make this symptom very common. Your physician may also want to take tissue samples though a procedure known as a biopsy to examine the lung lining in a laboratory setting.