Pulmonology is a field of medicine that focuses specifically on diagnosing and treating disorders of the respiratory system.
Subspecialties of pulmonology include:
- interstitial lung disease, which focuses on lung diseases marked by persistent inflammation and scarring
- interventional pulmonology, which employs multidisciplinary care to treat airway disorders, lung cancer, and pleural diseases
- lung transplantation, management before and after surgery
- neuromuscular disease, which refers to conditions that occur due to respiratory muscle failure
- obstructive lung disease, which involves airway narrowing or obstruction
- sleep-disordered breathing
Conditions pulmonologists commonly treat include:
- asthma
- bronchiectasis, a condition that involves inflammation and excess mucus
- bronchitis, which happens when you have inflamed lower airways
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which causes an airflow blockage
- emphysema, which happens when the alveoli in your lungs are damaged
- interstitial lung diseases, which affect the space and tissue within the lung
- occupational lung diseases, which can occur due to the inhalation of dusts, chemicals, or proteins
- obstructive sleep apnea, which causes your breathing to slow or stop entirely when you’re sleeping
Pulmonologists can use and interpret exams and tests to help determine a lung-related diagnosis. These may include the following:
- CT scan to get detailed images of the bones, muscles, fat organs, and blood vessels in your chest
- chest fluoroscopy, an X-ray test to see how well your lungs are functioning
- chest ultrasound to examine the organs and other chest structures
- pleural biopsy to remove a small tissue sample from the pleura, which is the membrane that surrounds your lungs
- pulmonary function test, a breathing test to see how well your lungs are working
- pulse oximetry test to determine the oxygen saturation level in your blood
- thoracentesis to remove and sample fluid from around your lungs
- chest tube to remove air or fluid from around your lungs
- bronchoscopy to examine your airway and determine if you have any issues in your trachea, lower airways, throat, or larynx
- sleep study to help diagnose sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea
In the case of more serious lung diseases and conditions, a pulmonologist may refer you to a chest surgeon for procedures, such as a lobectomy to remove a portion of a diseased lung or a lung transplant.