Ultrasound (US) scan: A probe is placed on the skin surface that uses sound waves to look in detail at soft tissues, such as your neck.

Computed tomography (CT) scan: X-ray beams are used to create a detailed view of parts of the body. CT can look at large areas of the body very quickly and is very good for examining bone. Intravenous dye is often used to help enhance the quality of the information obtained from the CT scan.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: A very strong magnetic is used to create a detailed view of parts of the body. MRI scans can look at large areas of the body but they are quite slow and noisy. MRI is very good for looking at many different types of tissue but it is important to lie very still during the scan. Intravenous dye is often used to help show blood vessels and cancers during an MRI scan. MRI can be dangerous in people with metal in their body because the magnet can make the metal move – let the radiographer know if you do have metal in your body but not all types of metal are affected.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan: A special glucose solution containing some radioactive material (known as a radiotracer) is injected into the body. The radiotracer accumulates in the cells that use more energy, including cancer cells, making these show up as ‘hot spots’ on the images. PET scans are very good at detecting cancers that grow quickly but not ones that grow slowly. PET scans are sometimes used as a follow-up investigation to find out if the treatment has worked, or to monitor if the cancer has returned. The scanning department will provide you with specific instructions on how to prepare for your scan.