[Pneumologic diagnosis in general practice]

Many pneumological conditions can be clarified in the doctor's office with the aid of simple investigations. In addition to a carefully taken history and a physical examination, the standard program should include a chest film and a simple lung function test. The further diagnostic measures should not be schematic, but should be based on "decision-analytical" criteria. This is demonstrated on the basis of decision-taking diagrams for a number of important pneumological differential diagnoses.