Tests after an anal cancer diagnosis

You may have more tests after your diagnosis to find out:

• How large is the cancer?
• Where exactly is the cancer?
• Has the cancer spread to any other parts of your body?

This is called staging. Staging tests for anal cancer include:

• Blood tests: To check your general health
• CT scan: A special type of X-ray to give a picture of the tissues inside your body
• MRI scan: A scan that uses magnetic energy to build up a picture of the tissues inside your body. 
• Ultrasound scan: A device called a probe is passed into your back passage (rectum). It uses sound waves to give a picture of the tissues there. It can show any abnormal changes. 
• PET scan: A radioactive injection that will show up any cancer spread to other parts of your body on a CT scan picture.

Read more about these staging tests.