A doctor will check symptoms, medical history, and certain signs to determine if you may have emphysema. Part of their investigation may include lung function tests and certain blood tests.
Emphysema is a progressive form of COPD, involving respiratory issues and problems with your airflow.
This happens as a result of damage to either your airways or alveoli, which are microscopic air sacs in your lungs.
The main symptom of emphysema is
Weight loss and fatigue can also be signs, particularly as the condition progresses.
Generally, a person will experience vague symptoms, with shortness of breath typically occurring only during exercise or exertion. But as the condition progresses, a person will have these symptoms even at rest.
However, it’s important to note that there are also many other causes of shortness of breath. Often with COPD, a person will notice they have increased respiratory infections too.
A doctor will talk with you about your symptoms and other factors to determine what may be causing your symptoms.
As emphysema is often related to exposure to pollutants such as smoke, doctors will be interested in whether you currently smoke or smoked in the past, how often, and whether you’ve been around smoke or other pollutants during your work or home life.
They’ll also ask if any of your blood relatives have lung conditions, as many conditions have a genetic element to them.
Aside from medical history and presenting symptoms, certain tests can also help diagnose or rule out emphysema.
A spirometry test is the main test doctors will use to assess your breathing and determine if you may have emphysema. This test checks how much air you can exhale and the speed at which you do so. One possible sign of a lung issue is if you’re unable to exhale as much as expected for a person your age.
If you have a lower than typical exhalation rate or volume, it could indicate a lung issue such as emphysema.
As part of their tests, a doctor may have you use a bronchodilator to see if it helps your symptoms.
Imaging tests can show the doctor the inside of your lungs.
A chest X-ray can show abnormalities in your lungs. However, if your lung condition is in the early stages, changes may be too small to show up on an X-ray. But having an X-ray can help rule out other causes.
A CT scan can give doctors a detailed 3D view of your lungs and highlight any damage to the lungs. A CT scan can be used to confirm a diagnosis of emphysema.
A bronchoscopy is a procedure that can help a doctor see into your airways. Bronchoscopy in itself is not a diagnostic tool for emphysema. However, it can be used to rule out other diseases, such as infection, or used therapeutically to treat progressive emphysema or mucus plugging.
It involves a medical device called a bronchoscope that includes a light and a camera. This is carefully threaded through your nose or mouth and down into your lungs.
Your doctor will then be able to view the insides of your airways on a video screen.
An ECG looks at your heart rhythm and rate to see how well your heart is working.
Emphysema can affect the heart, increasing pressure in the arteries that connect your lungs and heart.
ECG can be used to rule out cardiac causes of symptoms related to Emphysema. There may be some indications on ECG that lung and heart disease are present. However, there is no one finding on ECG that helps determine emphysema.
Blood tests can detect various factors, including genetic changes.
AAT test
A doctor might want to check your levels of a protein called alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT). This protein is released into your blood from the liver and helps protect your lungs from inflammation.
However, if you have a deficiency, you might develop COPD at a younger age.
Blood tests can also check the levels of certain gases involved in breathing.
An arterial blood gas test measures how much oxygen and carbon dioxide you have in your blood. It involves taking a small sample of blood from one of your arteries.
Your lungs exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide gases via your alveoli as you breathe. If the exchange is not as efficient as it should be, it could indicate a problem with your lungs.
Generally, 89% or more of your blood should be carrying oxygen. Levels that are temporarily lower than this may not be harmful, but repeated lower readings can be a cause for concern.
This test can also measure other factors, including the pressure of the two gases in your blood and the pH of your blood.
For mild to moderate COPD, however, this test is often not needed.
Pulse oximetry is another way to check your blood oxygen levels. This does not involve taking blood and is a device that simply clips over your finger to give a blood oxygen reading.
However, it’s important to note that a person’s skin tone may affect the accuracy of the readings. In this case, an arterial blood gas test is more accurate.
Doctors use a range of tests and procedures to investigate symptoms that may indicate a type of COPD known as emphysema.
If you have symptoms such as persistent shortness of breath, coughing, and increased respiratory infections, your doctor may want to conduct tests for COPD. These may include a spirometry test, a CT scan, and blood tests.