Health encyclopaedia

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

Diagnosis of Bronchiectasis

After careful examination, a chest x-ray such as a bronchography can show characteristic signs of bronchiectasis such as widening of the bronchial tubes and areas of infection, which can be confirmed by computerised tomography scan (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scan).

Looking inside the lungs with a flexible telescope (bronchoscope) is sometimes necessary to be certain and to rule out other suspected lung problems.

Sometimes, a sample of sputum may be taken from the lungs and tested for sensitivity to antibiotics. This helps the doctor to decide on the best course of treatment.

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