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How is pneumonia diagnosed?

Pneumonia might be hard to diagnose. The symptoms are very often similar to cold and flu and it might go under reported and untreated until it gets very serious. 

Your doctor will start by asking you about your symptoms, checking your medical history, asking about the recent infections, and long-term conditions. Your doctor may also ask about pointers to specific causes of your problem (these questions are very unlikely to be able to differentiate causes):
 

  • Any recent travelling episodes

  • Your exposure to animals and sick people

  • Any medicines you take

  • Whether you smoke

  • Whether you have had flu and pneumonia vaccinations (2).



Physical examination will include listening to your lungs with  stethoscope to check for abnormal bubbling, crackling sounds that suggest pneumonia (1). 

(1) Mayo Clinic. (2016). Diagnosis - Mayo Clinic. [online] Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pneumonia/diagnosis-treatment/diagnosis/dxc-20204716 [Accessed 30 Mar. 2017].

(2) www.nhlbi.nih.gov. (2016). Explore Pneumonia - Diagnosis. [online] Available at: http://uch as a complete blood count (CBC) to see if your immune system is actively fighting an infection. [Accessed 30 Mar. 2017].

If pneumonia is suspected, the doctor might ask for more specific tests:

 

  • Blood tests – these can be helpful in confirming the infection, and sometimes in identifying the specific cause of the infection. Very frequently, the results are not precise enough, and a combination of medical training and other tests is used. 
     

  • Chest X-ray – it will help to diagnose the pneumonia and may be helpful in identifying some complications, such as fluid around the lung. However, it won’t tell your doctor what kind of germ is causing the pneumonia.
     

  • Pulse oximetry – it measures the oxygen level in your blood. Pneumonia can affect your lungs in such way that your body is not getting enough oxygen.
     

  • Sputum test – this is a sample of sputum or phlegm from your lungs which you cough up. This test sometimes detects the germ causing the pneumonia.

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In some cases doctor might run additional tests. This will usually happen if you’re older than 65, and you have been recently staying in a hospital, or have some other serious health conditions.

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  • CT scan – it will provide more detailed image of your lungs which would be particularly useful if pneumonia is not clearing up as expected.
     

  • Pleural fluid culture – when there is fluid around the pneumonia, a sample can be taken using a needle between your ribs. The fluid is then analysed to determine the type of infection.

References:

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