Cor Pulmonale : Tests

Bluish color to the skin (cyanosis; Distension of the neck veins indicating high right-heart pressures; Abnormal fluid collection in the abdomen, enlargement of the liver; Swelling of the ankles; Abnormal heart sounds. The following tests may help...

An electrocardiograph (EKG) will show signs such as frequent premature contractions in the atria or ventricles. Chest x rays may show enlargement of the right descending pulmonary artery. This sign, along with an enlarged main pulmonary artery, in...

Blood gases measure the pH (acidity), oxygen content, and carbon dioxide content of the blood. Usually, blood gases are used to analyze the arterial blood. In rarer cases, venous blood may be used.

Blood gas analysis, also called arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, is a procedure to measure the partial pressure of oxygen (O 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) gases and the pH (hydrogen ion concentration) in arterial blood. Purpose Blood gas analysis is used to diagnose and evaluate respiratory diseases and conditions that influence how effectively the lungs deliver oxygen to and eliminate carbon dioxide from the blood.

Blood gas analysis, also called arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, is a test which measures the amounts of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, as well as the acidity (pH) of the blood. Purpose An ABG analysis evaluates how effectively the lungs are delivering oxygen to the blood and how efficiently they are eliminating carbon dioxide from it.

Blood gases are defined as the mixture of gases, including oxygen (O 2 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and nitrogen (N 2 ), dissolved in the fluid fraction of blood. Oxygen from the air is transported from the lungs to all tissues of the body, where it is needed for metabolism ; and carbon dioxide, a by-product of metabolism, is taken from the tissues to the lungs to be eliminated.

A lung needle biopsy is the process of obtaining and examining a sample of lung tissue.

Lung biopsy is a medical procedure performed to obtain a small piece of lung tissue for examination under a microscope. Biopsy examinations are usually performed by pathologists, who are doctors with special training in tissue abnormalities and other signs of disease.

Lung biopsy is a procedure by which a small sample of lung tissue is obtained for examination. Usually, it is examined under the microscope and also may be sent to the microbiological laboratory for culture.

How Your Doctor Uses Biopsies to Make a Diagnosis of Lung CancerYour doctor may suggest that you have one or more of the following procedures to help make the diagnosis of lung cancer. After any kind of biopsy, a specialized doctor, called a patho...

Lung biopsy is a procedure for obtaining a small sample of lung tissue for examination. The tissue is usually examined under a microscope, and may be sent to a microbiological laboratory for culture.

My father had a blood test called a "BNP." The results showed the possibility of some type of heart failure. What is a BNP test?

BNP is a hormone produced by the body when the heart is enlarged. Testing a person's BNP level is an easy and accurate way to help doctors diagnose congestive heart failure.

Echocardiogram is a test that uses sound waves to create a moving picture of the heart. The picture is much more detailed than x-ray image and involves no radiation exposure.

Echocardiography is a diagnostic test that uses ultrasound waves to create an image of the heart muscle. Ultrasound waves that rebound or echo off the heart can show the size, shape, and movement of the heart ' s valves and chambers as well as the flow of blood through the heart.

An echocardiogram (echo) is an imaging test. It helps your doctor evaluate your heart. Here is how it works.

Detailed information on a echocardiography (echo) procedure, including how the procedure is performed, reasons for the procedure, and pre- and post-evaluation instructions

Detailed information on echocardiography, including types and how the procedure is performed

Echocardiography is a diagnostic test that uses ultrasound waves to produce an image of the heart muscle and the heart ' s valves. Purpose Echocardiography is used to diagnose certain cardiovascular diseases, and is one of the most widely used diagnostic tests for heart disease.

A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.

A chest x ray is a procedure used to evaluate organs and structures within the chest for symptoms of disease. Chest x rays include views of the lungs, heart, small portions of the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid gland and the bones of the chest area.

Detailed information on chest x-rays, including reasons for the procedure

A chest x ray is a procedure used to evaluate organs and structures within the chest for symptoms of disease. Chest x rays include views of the lungs, heart, small portions of the gastrointestinal tract, thyroid gland, and the bones of the chest area.

A chest x ray is a procedure used to evaluate organs and structures within the chest for symptoms of disease. Chest x rays include views of the lungs , heart , small portions of the gastrointestinal tract, and the bones of the chest area.

A tomogram refers to a slice, or section, which is imaged by moving the X-ray tube and recording film simultaneously and in opposite directions. This method serves to blur out structures in front of and behind the area of interest.

Computed tomography (CT) of the chest is performed to diagnose a variety of symptoms, including vascular, cardiac, airway disease as well as cancers that can occur in the thoracic region of the body. Purpose The purpose of the CT scan is to noninvasively and quickly visualize internal organs which may be damaged by disease or trauma.

Computed tomography (CT) a method of body imaging in which a thin x-ray beam rotates around the patient. Small detectors measure the amount of x-rays that make it through the patient or particular area of interest. A computer analyzes the data to construct a cross-sectional image. These images can be stored, viewed on a monitor, or printed on film. In addition, three-dimensional models of organs can be created by stacking the individual images, or "slices."

Computed Tomography (CT)Computed tomography(CT) is a test that combines x-rays and computer scans. The result is a detailed picture that can show problems with soft tissues (such as the lining of your sinuses), organs (such as your kidneys or lung...

Detailed information on computed tomography scans, also called CT scan or CAT scan, including information on how the procedure is performed

Detailed information on CT scan, including how the CT scan is performed and what happens after the procedure

Detailed information on ultrafast computed tomography scans, also called ultrafast CT scan or ultrafast CAT scan, including information on how the procedure is performed

Detailed information on ultrafast computed tomography (CT) scan, including reasons for the procedure, risks of the procedure, what to expect, and discharge instructions

Computed tomography (CT), formerly referred to as computerized axial tomography (CAT), is a common diagnostic imaging procedure that uses x rays to generate images (slices) of the anatomy. Purpose Computed tomography (CT) is an x-ray imaging procedure used for a variety of clinical applications.

Computed tomography scanning, also called CT scan, CAT scan, or computerized axial tomography, is a diagnostic tool that provides views of internal body structures using x rays. In the field of mental health, a CT scan may be used when a patient seeks medical help for symptoms that could possibly be caused by a brain tumor.

Computed tomography (also known as CT, CT scan, CAT, or computerized axial tomography) scans use x rays to produce precise cross-sectional images of anatomical structures. With the development of modern computers, the scans enhanced digital capabilities allowed the development of computed tomography imaging (derived from the Greek tomos , meaning " to slice " ).

Computed tomography (CT) scans are completed with the use of a 360-degree x-ray beam and computer production of images. These scans allow for cross-sectional views of body organs and tissues.

Computed tomography (CT) scanning is a valuable diagnostic tool that provides physicians with views of internal body structures. During a CT scan, multiple x rays are passed through the body, producing cross-sectional images, or " slices, " on a cathode-ray tube (CRT), a device resembling a television screen.

Is there an alternative to iodine as a contrast medium in a CT scan?

What is the difference between a pelvic CT scan and an abdominal CT scan?

During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body) Palpation (feeling the body with hands) Auscultation (listening to sounds) Percussion (producing sounds)

Pulmonary function tests are a broad range of tests that are usually done in a health care provider's office or a specialized facility. They measure how well the lungs take in and exhale air and how efficiently they transfer oxygen into the blood. Spirometry measures how well the lungs exhale. The information gathered during this test is useful in diagnosing certain types of lung disorders, but is most useful when assessing for obstructive lung diseases (especially asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD). Lung volume measurement detects restrictive lung diseases. In this set of diseases, a person cannot inhale a normal volume of air. Restrictive lung diseases may be caused by inflammation or scarring of the lung tissue (interstitial lung disease) or by abnormalities of the muscles or skeleton of the chest wall. Testing the diffusion capacity (also called the DLCO) permits an estimate of how efficiently the lungs transfer oxygen from the air into the bloodstream.

Pulmonary function tests are a group of procedures that measure the function of the lungs, revealing problems in the way a patient breathes. The tests can determine the cause of shortness of breath and may help confirm lung diseases, such as asthma , bronchitis or emphysema .

A pulmonary function test shows how well your lungs are working. A complete test has three parts. You may be given the entire test or only certain parts. The entire test is painless and lasts 45–90 minutes.

Pulmonary function tests are a group of procedures that measure how well the lungs are functioning. Purpose Pulmonary function tests help a doctor to diagnose respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and emphysema, and mechanical injury by measuring the degree of lung impairment.

Pulmonary function tests are a group of procedures that measure the function of the lungs , revealing problems in the way a patient breathes. These tests can determine the cause of shortness of breath and may help confirm the diagnosis of such lung diseases as asthma , chronic bronchitis, or emphysema .

Pulmonary Exercise Stress TestRisks and ComplicationsLike many tests, this test involves some risks. They may include:Shortness of breath or wheezingRise or fall in blood pressureFainting, dizziness, or fatigueAbnormal heartbeat or heart rateHeart...

Normal individuals have a large reserve in lung function that allows breathing capacity to increase at least twenty to thirty times during periods of vigorous physical activity. It is not the ability to breathe that normally limits maximum exercise capability, nor does physical activity normally change lung function, either in the short-term or over time with training.

Pulmonary artery catheterization is a diagnostic procedure in which a small catheter is inserted through a neck, arm, chest, or thigh vein and maneuvered into the right side of the heart, in order to measure pressures at different spots in the heart. Purpose Pulmonary artery catheterization is performed to: evaluate heart failure monitor therapy after a heart attack check the fluid balance of a patient with serious burns , kidney disease, or after heart surgery check the effect of medications on the heart Precautions Pulmonary artery catheterization is a potentially complicated and invasive procedure.

Cardiac catheterization (also called heart catheterization) is a diagnostic and occasionally therapeutic procedure that allows a comprehensive examination of the heart and surrounding blood vessels. It enables the physician to take angiograms, record blood flow, calculate cardiac output and vascular resistance, perform an endomyocardial biopsy, and evaluate the heart ' s electrical activity.

Swan-Ganz catheterization, also known as pulmonary artery catheterization, is a diagnostic procedure in which a small catheter is threaded through a vein in the arm, thigh, chest, or neck until it passes through the right side of the heart into the pulmonary artery. The catheter is than able to measure the pressures in the right heart and pulmonary artery.

Swan-Ganz catheterization involves the passage of a catheter into the right side of the heart to obtain diagnostic information about the heart and to provide continuous monitoring of heart function in critically ill patients.

A pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan is a pair of nuclear scan tests that use inhaled and injected radioactive material (radioisotopes) to measure breathing (ventilation) and circulation (perfusion) in all areas of the lungs.

A lung perfusion scan is a nuclear medicine test that produces a picture of blood flow to the lungs. A lung ventilation scan measures the ability of the lungs to take in air and uses radiopharmaceuticals to produce a picture of how air is distributed in the lungs.

A lung perfusion scan and ventilation study are two diagnostic imaging studies. A lung perfusion scan assesses blood flow to the lungs .