lung and airway disorders
Pulmonary Hypertension
Diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension
Chest x-ray, echocardiography, and electrocardiography Cardiac catheterization Based on the symptoms, doctors may suspect pulmonary hypertension, particularly in people who have an underlying lung disorder or other known cause of pulmonary hypertension. Tests, including a X-Rays of the Chest , Pulmonary function tests help doctors assess the extent of lung damage. A sample of blood may be taken from an artery in an arm to measure the level of oxygen in the blood. A definite diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension usually requires passing a tube through a vein in an arm or a leg into the right side of the heart to measure the blood pressure in the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery ( Cardiac Catheterization and Coronary Angiography ). Other tests may be done to help determine the cause of pulmonary hypertension and to measure its severity. For example, testing may include high-resolution computed tomography (CT) of the chest (for detailed information about lung disorders), blood tests to identify autoimmune disorders, and CT angiography to look for blood clots in the lungs. Testing for gene mutations may be done to look for causes of hereditary pulmonary arterial hypertension. 