If you are experiencing symptoms related to a lung disease you will first need to provide a medical history and undergo a physical examination. Your doctor may then recommend other tests that can provide complementary.
A chest x-ray may reveal an abnormality that clearly explains the respiratory problem or may identify areas for further evaluation. Lung tumors, pneumonia, most tuberculosis cases, occupational lung diseases, emphysema, interstitial lung disease, and collections of fluid all can be seen on a chest x-ray.
The current availability of chest computed tomography (CT) scans is a major advance, allowing a more detailed assessment of abnormalities than that using the chest x-ray. In addition, combination positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scans are now being used to determine the presence of lung cancer.
Comparing current chest images with previous images is very important and can help to differentiate a new disease from a known condition and to see the progression of a disease over time.
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