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Pulmonary Laboratory |
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Thoracic Surgery
UT Southwestern Medical Center’s pulmonary laboratory features advanced testing and therapeutic services needed to accurately diagnose and treat lung conditions or diseases. Our lung specialists use the medical center’s pulmonary laboratory to precisely determine the nature of a patient’s lung disease, assess its severity and provide the treatments needed for improved health.
The pulmonary laboratory is available for inpatient and outpatient examinations, and includes comprehensive tests for lung capacity, gas exchange and analysis, stress testing and blood-flow analysis. Our pulmonologists work with the laboratory to provide brachtherapy and interventional procedures, including rigid bronchoscopy, stent placement and thorascopy.
UT Southwestern’s lung specialists use pulmonary function tests to determine how lungs perform, and pulmonologists use the examination results to help determine the causes of patients’ symptoms, including the type of lung problem they are experiencing. Some of the examinations provided by the pulmonary laboratory include:
- Arterial blood gas measurements to determine the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood.
- Diffusion measurements to assess how lungs are able to supply oxygen to the bloodstream.
- Exercise-based stress testing to evaluate any asthma or lung-related symptoms being experienced.
- Lung-volume measurements to determine the quantity of air lungs can process during inhaling and exhaling.
- Metabolism assessments to measure the amount of energy the body is capable of expending.
- Occupational lung examinations to evaluate how occupation-related toxins or irritants may have affected the function of the lungs.
- Oxygen desaturation tests to measure how exertion effects the amount of oxygen patients need for healthy lung functioning.
- Spirometry assessments to determine the volume of air patients are able to inhale and exhale over a period of time.
The pulmonary laboratory combines state-of-the-art testing techniques with a caring staff of lung specialists who are dedicated to helping patients achieve the best possible outcome for their lung condition. Our mission is to use the most advanced lung-assessment technology available, within a setting that allows attentive, compassionate staff to meet patients’ specific needs in the treatment of their lung condition.
For more information, please visit the Health Library.
