Bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the bronchial tubes in the lungs. This condition develops when the windpipe (trachea) and the small and large bronchi in the lungs become inflamed due to infections and other causes. Following lines give a brief explanation of the diagnostic tests for bronchitis.
Diagnosis for Bronchitis:
In making a diagnostic tests for chronic bronchitis, the physician conducts a thorough physical examination and records the medical history and inquires about the symptoms that one experiences.
The health care provider may prescribe the following diagnostic tests:
- Pulmonary Function Tests: This test is performed for checking the signs and symptoms of asthma or emphysema. In this test, you are asked to blow into spirometer. Spirometer measures the volume of air in the lungs after taking the deep breaths and blowing it out. This also gives reports how quickly one can blow air out of the lungs.
Pulmonary function test is painless and can be done is a few minutes. If one experiences recurring bronchitis and if the physician does not recommend the test, ask him to have done one.
- Blood Tests: A sample blood is taken to do a test that determines the health conditions like mild polycythemia.
- Electrocardiograms: This pin points disturbances like arterial flutter or fibrillation and atrial tachycardia containing P pulmonale, in the supraventricular rhythm.
- Sputum Culture: This is done for those who are not hospitalized but shows serious exacerbations of bronchitis. This test determines the need for antibiotic therapy. If the people are hospitalized particularly when an atypical organism is the cause, protected-tip sputum cultures are done.
- Airway Biopsies: This test reveals the mucosal and submucosal inflammations, abnormal smoothness of the muscles and hyperplasia of goblet cells.
- Chest X-Ray: This is done for determining the lung tissues inflammation.
