Pulmonary Diagnostic Testing

Available tests include: 

• Pulmonary function tests 
  • Spirometry 
  • Lung volume
  • Gas exchange (DLCO)
  • Maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV)
  • Inspiratory and expiratory muscle pressures (PI and PE max)
  • Oxygen titration
  • Six-minute walk
  • Methacholine challenge
  • Cardiopulmonary stress 
  • Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO)
  • Impulse oscillation or forced oscillation (IOS) 
  • Compliance
  • High altitude simulation
• Bronchial thermoplasty 
• Bronchoscopy
  • Autofluorescence 
  • Electromagnetic navigation (ENB)
  • Endobronchial ultrasound
  • Interventional 
• Cardiopulmonary stress testing
• Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) 
• Exhaled nitrous oxide testing 
• Pleural biopsy 
• Thoracentesis 
• Transbronchial needle aspiration 

Biopsy techniques can now avoid conventional surgery by using minimally invasive procedures like endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) to diagnose lung cancer and other chest diseases. A minimally invasive approach allows physicians to perform a transbronchial needle aspiration to obtain tissue and/or fluid samples from the lungs and surrounding lymph nodes. The procedure is less invasive and the recovery time shorter than conventional surgery.