lung and airway disorders
Abscess in the Lungs
Diagnosis of a Lung Abscess
Chest x-rays Sometimes chest computed tomography (CT) Chest x-rays nearly always reveal the lung abscess as a cavity filled with fluid and air. However, in an x-ray, a lung abscess sometimes resembles another condition, such as Lung Cancer or Doctors may take a sample of sputum and try to grow (culture) the organism causing the abscess, but this test is not useful except to rule out certain organisms. Any infected fluid in the pleural space (empyema) is sampled and sent to a laboratory for culture. Bronchoscopy may be done to obtain samples of lung secretions or tissue for culture if, for example, Antibiotics seem ineffective Obstruction of the airways (for example, bronchus blockage by a tumor) is suspected The person's immune system is impaired If the immune system is impaired, organisms that do not usually cause lung abscesses may be causing the abscess. Unusual organisms must be identified as soon as possible because they are treated differently from the usual organisms that cause lung abscess. 