outpatient testing
Pulmonary Function Testing:
These tests measure how well the lungs take in and release air and how
well they move oxygen into the blood.
Bronchoscope Testing:
Bronchoscope is a procedure during which an examiner uses a viewing tube
to evaluate a patient's lung and airways including the voice box and
vocal cord, trachea, and many branches of bronchi. Bronchoscope is
usually performed by a pulmonologist or a thoracic surgeon. Although a
bronchoscope does not allow for direct viewing and inspection of the
lung tissue itself, samples of the lung tissue can be biopsied through
the bronchoscope for examination in the laboratory.
Arterial Blood Gases:
A sample of blood from an artery is usually taken from the inside of the
wrist (radial artery), but it also can be collected from an artery in
the groin (femoral artery) or on the inside of the arm above the elbow
crease (brachial artery). A patient will be seated with arm extended and
with the wrist resting on a small pillow. The health professional
drawing the blood may rotate the patient’s hand back and forth and feel
for a pulse in the wrist.
