Pulmonary Fibrosis

Your healthcare provider will ask you about your medical history. You’ll also have a physical exam to carefully evaluate your symptoms. They may use a stethoscope to listen to you breathe, listening for abnormal sounds (like crackling).

Pulmonary fibrosis can look a lot like other, more common lung diseases, which can make diagnosis challenging. Your provider may also order one or more tests to diagnose pulmonary fibrosis:

• Blood tests: Your provider may order blood tests to rule out other illnesses or reasons for your symptoms. Lab tests can also help providers track disease progression (how it affects your body over time) after diagnosis.
• Imaging tests: A chest X-ray or a CT scan may help rule out other lung-related illnesses. These pictures can clearly show lung scarring and may confirm a pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis.
• Breathing tests: These tests are also called pulmonary function tests. Different devices measure lung function and capacity (how well your lungs work).
• Oxygen desaturation study: This test measures oxygen levels in your blood. You walk for six minutes with a probe attached to your finger or forehead.
• Biopsy: A surgeon removes a small lung tissue sample through a small incision in the ribs. Providers sometimes perform a lung biopsy to confirm a pulmonary fibrosis diagnosis.