Diagnosing airway disorders
First, your doctor conducts a physical exam and asks about your medical history. If your doctor suspects you have an airway disorder, they may order imaging tests to help them make an official diagnosis. Tests may include chest X-rays or CT (computed tomography) scan, which uses a series of X-rays and a computer to take detailed images of your airways.
Your doctor may perform an endoscopy to view your upper airway structures. They guide a thin, flexible tube with a light and camera (endoscope) through your nose or mouth and down your throat. They can also take a tissue sample or treat a problem.
Your doctor may order pulmonary function tests (PFTs) to check how well your lungs work. This group of tests measures:
- How much air goes into and out of your lungs when you breathe
- How much oxygen goes from your lungs to your blood
- How exercise affects your lungs
PFTs can also help your doctor assess how well a treatment is working.
If your doctor needs a closer look at your lower airways and lungs to make a diagnosis, they may perform a bronchoscopy or endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS). You are sedated during the procedure so that you don’t feel anything. Your doctor takes pictures of your lungs and surrounding areas by inserting a flexible tube with a video camera (bronchoscope) through your mouth or nose and into your windpipe and lungs. They may also take a tissue sample (biopsy) to test in the lab.