Tests after a cervical cancer diagnosis (staging tests)

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 cervical cancer may include:

• Blood tests: These can check your general health. For example, a blood count and tests to see how well your kidneys and liver are working.
• MRI scan: A scan that uses magnetic energy to build up a picture of the tissues inside your body. 
• PET-CT scan: A scan that gives a more detailed picture of the tissues inside the body. You will have a radioactive injection that will show up any cancer spread to other parts of your body on a CT scan picture.
• Examination under anaesthetic (EuA): Sometimes your doctor will do this test to look at your cervix and vagina while you are asleep under general anaesthetic. This is done to see if the cancer is found only in your cervix. Samples of cervical cells (biopsy) can be taken during an EuA.