Procedure | Definition |
arterial blood gases (abg) | blood drawn from an artery to dertmine the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide |
bronchography | xray of the lung using radiopaque dye to visualize the bronchial tubes |
bronchoscopy | visual exam of the bronchi using a bronchoscope |
chest xray | xray pictures of the lungs from the back and the side |
complete spirometry | measures the breathing capacity of the lungs |
computerized tomography (ct scan) | sliced views on film of the chest |
culture and sensitivity | testing sputum for bacterial growth, sample grown in lab |
laryngoscopy | visual exam of the the larynx using a laryngoscope |
lung biopsy | lung tissue sample taken by bronchoscopy for analysis |
magnetic resonance imaging (mri) | magnetic fields used to view the chest |
pulmonary angiography | dye injected to view the arteriees and veins of the lung by xray |
pulmonary function test (pft) | measures the gas exchange and lung volumes to determine respiratory function |
sinus xray | xray of the front of the head to view the sinus cavitites |
sputum cytology | testing sputum for cancerous cells |
thoracentesis | puncture of the chest wall with a needle to obtain fluid |
throat culture | swab of the pharynx to test for bacterial growth |
tomogram | roentgenography of selected layers of the chest to examine lung fields |
tuberculin skin test | applying agents to the skin (tine test) or under the skin (intradermal) to determine exposure to tuberculosis |
ventiliation perfusion scan | views perfusion defects in ventilated areas of the lung |