Diagnostic Bronchograms

Diagnostic Bronchograms

Diagnostic Bronchograms are obtained through the x-ray (radiographic) examination of the patient’s lower respiratory tract interior structures (passage-ways). The amount of radiation that is employed during this type of medical procedure is minimal; in other words, the patient’s risk of experiencing unpleasant symptoms due to exposure to such radiations is very low.

Diagnostic Bronchograms are clinical radiographies that enable the patient’s health care provider set a clear diagnosis of the individual’s medical condition. Undergoing such a clinical examination is taken into consideration if the patient is suspected to suffer from a medical condition of the respiratory tract or from a lung disorder. The most common abnormalities that can be revealed through such a clinical examination include: bronchitis, a chronic form of pneumonia, lung tumors (they appear as abnormal growths / enlargements), tracheoesophageal fistula (the development of an abnormal tract between the esophagus and the trachea), coughing up blood (hemoptysis), bronchiectasis (this medical condition is characterized by the irreversible enlargement of the patient’s bronchi; this is though to be caused by the deterioration of the bronchial walls), and so on. There may be other clinical reasons for which your medical practitioner has advised you to undergo such a medical examination technique. In case you need further medical guidance concerning this matter you should simply refer to your PD.

Other medical procedures (apart from Diagnostic Bronchograms) that can be employed for the same clinical purpose include the following techniques: CT scans of the patient’s chest, chest x-ray, chest fluoroscopy, lung biopsy, chest ultrasound, lung scan, oximetry, mediastinoscopy, positron emission tomography (PET) scan, peak flow measurement, pulmonary function tests, pulmonary angiogram, and thoracentesis.

Diagnostic Bronchograms Description

The structures of the patient’s lower respiratory tract (the bronchi, the trachea, the larynx) can be seen on the radiographic film after the patient is instilled a radio-opaque contrast dye. The medical contrast agent is administered through a bronchoscope (a lighted, flexible, narrow tube) or through a catheter into the areas that the physician is interested in visualizing. The bronchoscope / catheter is inserted either through the patient’s mouth or through his or her nose; it is then made to advance down the individual’s throat until it reaches the bronchi. Most patients report the developing of several unpleasant symptoms during the insertion of the tube; the catheter / bronchoscope will not block your airways. After you have been instilled the contrast dye, the physician will want to take several Diagnostic Bronchograms in different positions.

As with some other invasive clinical procedures, undergoing Diagnostic Bronchograms is associated with certain medical risks; the most common complications that have been reported to occur during this type of examination included obstruction of the airways (due to the instillation of the contrast agent in the case of a patient who is suffering from chronic bronchitis and / or emphysema), pneumonia, infection, and so on. Undergoing such an invasive medical examination may not be a viable option for all patients. For example, pregnant females are generally recommended to avoid this type of medical procedure, as radiation exposure during pregnancy can have severe consequences for the development of the fetus (like birth defects, for example). Furthermore, patients who are suffering from an allergy to the contrast dyes that are instilled during this type of procedure should seek an alternative diagnosis medical option. If you have any concerns about this aspect, you should discuss them with your personal health care practitioner.

Diagnostic Bronchograms can be performed as part of the patient’s stay in the hospital, or in an outpatient basis. The exact procedure is known to vary from one clinical case to another, as it depends on the individual’s condition and on the medical provider’s practices. Before you undergo this type of medical examination, your PD will carefully explain the procedure; at this point, you should feel free to ask him or her any questions you have about the way in which the examination is going to take place.

Diagnostic Bronchograms Related Medication

In the last part of our medical presentation, we will provide you with some general medical facts about the most common medical products / substances that can be administered to patients who are going to undergo Diagnostic Bronchograms. 

In order for the patient’s lower respiratory tract structures to be clearly seen on the bronchogram, he or she is instilled a special contrast dye; as it coats the lining of the interior walls of the lower respiratory tract components, such a substance makes a structure, a tissue or a certain organ to be seen much more easily either on radiographic images or other diagnostic medical pictures. In addition, the administration of such a substance (during Diagnostic Bronchograms) can also reveal the presence of certain abnormalities of the pulmonary structures: obstructions, cysts, cavities or tumors. Patients who are allergic to the contrast substance that should be employed during this type of medical examination should seek an alternative diagnostic examination procedure. If you experience any uncomfortable symptoms after you have undergone this type of medical procedure you should immediately alert your personal health care provider, as you may be experiencing the side effects of the contrast dye which you have been instilled. If you want to acquire a detailed list of the most common clinical manifestations that can arise after you undergo this type of imaging technique you should refer to your PD.

Due to the progress made in the technology of CT scans (tomography) and also in that of bronchoscopy, only in rare circumstances are patients asked to undergo bronchography. All patients who undergo Diagnostic Bronchograms are administered sedatives, which are supposed to make them sleepy but which should keep them arousable; however, in certain cases, the patient is placed under general anesthesia.

Other medical products that are associated in some way with this clinical procedure (Diagnostic Bronchograms) include: Acetadote and Mucomyst. They are known to belong to the class of mucolytic antidotes. If you are interested in acquiring further information about these drugs you should consult a specialist in this medical area; you can discuss such aspects with your local pharmacist, with a nurse or with your personal health care practitioner.