title: Diagnostic work-up of chest disease.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008481:Mediastinoscopy; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology