What is Strep throat and what causes it? Strep throat (also called “acute pharyngitis” or “Streptococcal pharyngitis”) is a bacterial infection of the throat and tonsils. It is caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus pyogenes (“Pie-AW-Jen-Eez”), belonging to Group A Streptococci (GAS). There are many different strains of Group A Streptococci, each capable of producing [...]
Malignant Mesothelioma (“MEEZ-O-thee-lee-O-ma”) is a rare cancer that originates in the cells lining certain parts of the body, particularly the chest (pleura) or abdomen (peritoneum). These cells, mesothelial cells, form a lining called the mesothelium, which helps protect your organs by making a lubricating fluid, allowing ease of movement, such as the lungs during breathing. [...]
What is Arterial Blood Gas Testing? An arterial blood gas (“ABG”) is a medical blood test taken from an artery, rather than a vein. The ABG is used to assess the lung’s function and gas exchange. It will measure your lung’s ability to move oxygen (O2) into the blood and remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from [...]
What is Pulmonary Embolism? Pulmonary Embolism (“PE”) is a medical condition wherein a lung artery (or arteries) develops a blockage from a substance that traveled through the bloodstream to the lung. Venous thromboembolism (“VTE”) is a common medical term for pulmonary embolism and DVT. Click here to see a video animation of DVT and PE. [...]
What is a Lung Scan? A Ventilation-Perfusion (“V/Q”) lung scan is a medical imaging test used by your doctor to look at the circulation of air (ventilation) and blood (perfusion) of the lungs. It is usually done in the nuclear radiology department of a hospital. Why do this test? The most common reason for your [...]
What is Pulmonary Hypertension? Pulmonary Hypertension (PULL-mun-airy HI-per-TEN-shun), or PH, is a clinical-physiological syndrome with abnormally high pressure of the blood vessels of the lungs. The right side of your heart pumps blood to the pulmonary arteries so it can pick up oxygen. This is a normally a low pressure system, about 15 mmHg at [...]
What is lung transplantation? A surgery to partially or completely replace one or both diseased lungs of a patient (plus sometimes the heart) with healthy organs from a human donor. Lung transplantation has been around for over 40 years, with the first successful transplant in 1983. Over the past few decades, there has been significant [...]
What is thoracentesis? This is a medical procedure used to remove fluid that has collected in the space between the outsides of the lungs (visceral pleura) and the insides of the chest wall (parietal pleura). Normally, there is a tiny amount of fluid in this space, but certain conditions or diseases can cause an abnormal [...]
What is Chronic Bronchitis? Chronic bronchitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the main airways of the lungs (bronchi), manifesting as cough with excessive mucus production (sputum) on most days of the week, for at least 3 months a year, for 2 or more consecutive years, but not due to some other known disease (such [...]
What is Pulmonary Function Testing? Pulmonary function testing is not a single test, but rather, a series of maneuvers aimed at evaluating the functioning of the lungs. This testing may also be referred to as PFTs, lung function testing, spirometry, or breathing tests. Pulmonary function testing generally consists of 3 components: Spirometry- measuring how much [...]
