Emphysema Diagnosis

Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lung that primarily causes shortness of breath. Until now, emphysema treatment management that can cure emphysema completely has yet not found.

To detect emphysema there are various ways, but emphysema diagnosis usually confirmed by pulmonary function testing called spirometry. However, other diagnosis also used. To determine if you have emphysema, your doctor is likely to recommend certain tests, including:

Pulmonary function tests (PFTs).
This kind of emphysema diagnosis is the one that most used. It is non-invasive tests that able to detect emphysema even before it causes any symptoms. Pulmonary function tests work by measured how much air can hold in your lungs and the flow in and out of your lungs. It also measure the amount of gases exchanged across the membrane between your alveolar wall and capillary membrane. When patient want to do this test, they usually asked to blow an instrument called spirometer. PFTs may be done before and after the use of inhaled medications to test your response to them. If you're a smoker or a former smoker, ask your doctor about taking this test, even if you don't have symptoms of COPD.

X-ray
You're likely to have a chest X-ray to help rule out other lung problems rather than to diagnose emphysema because even in the advanced stages of the disease, chest X-rays are often normal.

Arterial blood gases analysis
These blood tests measure how well your lungs transfer oxygen to your bloodstream and how effectively they remove carbon dioxide.

Pulse oximetry
This test involves the use of a small device that attaches to your fingertip. The oximeter measures the amount of oxygen in your blood differently from the way it's measured in a blood gas analysis. To help determine whether you need supplemental oxygen, the test may be performed at rest, during exercise and overnight.

Sputum examination
Analysis of cells in sputum can help determine the cause of some lung problems.

Computerized tomography (CT) scan
A CT scan allows your doctor to see your organs in two-dimensional images or "slices." Split-second computer processing creates these images as a series of very thin X-ray beams are passed through your body. A CT scan can detect emphysema sooner than an ordinary chest X-ray can, but it can't assess the severity of emphysema as accurately as can a pulmonary function test.

Main article - Emphysema Treatment