What is CEA-Scan?
Carcinoembryonic antigen or CEA is a substance expressed by a variety of tumors including those commonly found in the intestines. Tumors can shed CEA into the blood stream and you may have had blood tests to detect the levels of circulating CEA. Blood CEA levels can give information about the presence, but not the actual location of tumors. CEA-Scan is a diagnostic agent consisting of a mouse-derived antibody, tagged with a radioactive tracer. The combined antibody and radioactive tracer seek out and localize some tumors that can not be detected by other means. CEA-Scan is a type of test called a Nuclear Medicine Scan. These scans are images used to determine the health of various organ systems. With a special camera, images of areas were the tracer localizes within the body are made. The pattern formed by the tracer gives the physician information the health of the organ being studied.
