Diagnostic work-up of chest disease

The most important aids available to the thoracic surgeon for the evaluation of pulmonary disease are history, physical examination, and chest x-ray. Proper use of these modalities will allow a diagnosis to be made quickly with a minimum of hardship and risk to the patient and hence permit a reasonable and logical approach to therapy to be instituted. In addition, the various ancillary tests that are occasionally indicated in the work-up of patients with pulmonary disease have been reviewed, and the indications for each have been outlined.