The department that should generally be consulted for a lung examination is the “Chest Diseases” department. The chest disease specialist working in this department is responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of lung-related complaints. Symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, sputum production, and chest pain should first be evaluated in this department.<\/p>\n
The chest disease specialist takes a detailed medical history from the patient and, after a physical examination, may request further tests such as a chest X-ray, computed tomography scan, and pulmonary function tests when necessary. In this way, conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonia, COPD, and asthma are evaluated.<\/p>\n
If a suspicious mass, nodule, or risk of cancer is detected, the patient may be referred to the “Thoracic Surgery” department. Thoracic surgeons become involved for lung biopsy, thoracoscopy, and surgical interventions when required. This department is especially important in cases where a diagnosis cannot be established or surgical treatment is necessary.<\/p>\n
If the diagnosed disease is malignant, the oncology department also becomes involved in the process. In conditions such as lung cancer, medical oncologists plan chemotherapy and other systemic treatments. Therefore, the lung examination process may be carried out by a multidisciplinary team.<\/p>\n