lung and airway disorders
Overview of Interstitial Lung Diseases
Diagnosis of Interstitial Lung Disease
Chest computed tomography Pulmonary function testing Arterial blood gas analysis Because interstitial lung diseases cause symptoms that are similar to those of much more common disorders (for example, Overview of Pneumonia , Most people have a Chest Imaging , To confirm the diagnosis, doctors sometimes remove a small sample of lung tissue for microscopic examination (lung biopsy) using a procedure called fiberoptic bronchoscopy. A lung biopsy done this way is called Procedures Done With Bronchoscopy . Many times, a larger tissue sample is needed and must be removed surgically, sometimes with use of a thoracoscope (a procedure called video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy). Blood tests may be done. They usually cannot confirm the diagnosis but are done as part of the search for other, similar disorders. 