Pulmonary and Diagnostic Wellness Centers

Diagnostic Testing

The first step to treating any pulmonary illness is to get a clear diagnosis using a variety of tests, which can include:

• Spirometry – measures how much air you inhale, how much air you exhale and how quickly you can exhale by having you blow into a tube.
• Spirometry reversibility testing – uses information from your spirometry test results to calculate how effective treatment for your illness might be.
• Lung volume testing – measures your lung capacity and how much air you breathe in and out in your normal breathing cycle. You may be asked to breathe into a special air tank through a mask or stand inside of an airtight stall.
• Lung diffusion testing – measures how well your lungs can exchange gases.
• Maximum voluntary ventilation – measures how much air you breathe in and out during a one-minute test.
• Maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressure – checks the strength of the muscles that help you breathe.
• Bronchial provocation testing – irritates your airways to check for asthma.
• Arterial blood gas analysis – measures your blood chemistry, which can change based on how much air you breathe.
• Fiberoptic bronchoscopy – inserts a thin scope into your airways to look for any problems, take samples and remove foreign objects, if needed.

Not every test involves sitting still—for some, like a physical performance walk test or cardiopulmonary stress test, you'll walk or run on a treadmill while our team measures how your lungs handle the increased physical activity.

If you have a lung disease and you're planning to travel soon, talk to our team about high altitude simulation testing to make sure you're prepared to travel safely.

Treatment Plans

Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the next step is to build a treatment plan. Therapies include:

• Inspiratory muscle training to strengthen the muscles that help you breathe
• Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) to help push mucus out of your lungs

In some cases, your doctor may recommend transtracheal oxygen therapy. During this therapy, thin tube called a catheter connects supplemental oxygen directly to your windpipe.