[Diagnostic strategies of the lung]

Basic diagnostic procedures in pulmonary disease include chest-ray (pa/lat.), screening fluoroscopy, tomography and bronchoscopy. Due to its high specificity and sensitivity computerized tomography is the most effective non-invasive examination for identifying metastatic lymph nodes in the mediastinum. Further diagnostic steps include a perfusion/ventilation scan, pulmonary angiography (with centrally located tumors), upper caval venography (in upper venous congestion), thoracoscopy (with pleural effusion to exclude pleural carcinomatosis), and cardiopulmonary function tests.