What Kind of Patients are Examined by the Lung and Chest Diseases Department?

In the Lung and Chest Diseases Department, patients with one or more respiratory complaints.

These complaints are;

• Coughing
• Shortness of Breath
• Expectorating
• Bloody Phlegm
• Chest Pain

Respiratory complaints might be accompanied by one or more of the following systemic (relating to the body) diseases.

Primary Systematic Complaints Are;

• Fever
• Getting Exhausted Quickly
• Weakness, Tiredness
• Weight Loss
• Night Sweating

Besides these, patients who has non-primary coughing, expectorating, shortness of breath problems yet has one or more aforementioned systemic problems such as; fever, getting exhausted quickly, weight loss, night sweating, are also examined by the lung and chest diseases department. In this group of patients, even though they might have respiratory complaints, systemic complaints are the major issue. Some forms or clinical appearances of atypical pneumonia, tuberculosis and sarcoidosis can be given as an example for this case.

What Types of Diagnoses are Made in Lung and Chest Diseases Department?

Patients being examined by the Lung and Chest Diseases Department is diagnosed mainly with the following;

• Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
• Acute Bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Bronchial Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
• Emphysema Chronic Bronchitis
• Lung Cancers
• Pleurae (Lung Sac) Diseases
• Pulmonary Thromboembolism
• Lung, Pleura and Lymph Tuberculosis
• Bronchiectasis
• Interstitial Lung Diseases
• Sarchoidosis
• Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Other Interstitial Pneumonia
• Rheumatism Patient’s Pulmonary Involvement
• Lung Disorders Emerging from the Inhalation of Powders or Poisonous Materials
• Lung Disorders Occuring from Drug Side Effects
• Rarely Occuring Interstitial Lung Diseases
• Bleeding Into the Alveole Syndromes
• Pulmonary Diseases Associated with Air Cysts
• Eosinophilic Pneumonia
• Rare Lung Diseases
  • Pulmonary Hypertension
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Parasitory Lung Diseases
• Respiratory Problems During Sleep
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome
  • Central Sleep Apnea Syndrome

What is the General Attitude for Diagnosing Patient’s Examined by Chest and Lung Diseases Department?

In the diagnosis of previously mentioned diseases, patients are assessed along mainly based on their complaints, medical history and examination findings. Then other tests deemed necessary are conducted.

Most of the patients applying to the Lung and Chest Diseases Department require a chest x-ray.

Patients who have a shortness of breath complaint are asked for respiratory function tests.

If required, Computed Thorax Tomography is asked.

Computed Thorax Tomography is asked where cases of;

• Lung Cancer
• Pulmonary Thromboembolism
• Interstitial Pulmonary Diseases
• Bronchiectasis are suspected.

Computed Thorax Tomography, which has many variations such as with contrast, without contrast, thin slice and multislice, may be asked in any case besides the cases stated above when seen as necessary. In the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism, a method of multislice Computed Thorax Tomography with contrast called CT Angiography is used regarding pulmonary arteries.

Another diagnostic tool used mainly in the diagnosis of lung tumors and interstitial pulmonary diseases is fiberoptic bronchiscopy in order to investigate the cause of bloody phlegm and chronic coughing. It is accomplished with a special fiberoptic equipment that has a cold light source, usually under general anesthesia, sedation and cardiac monitarization. Bronchoscopy is applied for perceiving and investigating the entrances of lungs segments and sub-segments, mainly trachea and bronchi. When necessary, a biopsy or a lavage fluid sample might be taken. In some patients, a biopsy from lung tissue is taken.

Treatment of sleep apnea syndrome characterized by symptoms of snoring, witnessed apnea, extreme sleepiness during daytime and other respiratory problems during sleep can be attended by Lung and Chest Diseases Department as well.