COPD is an illness that gradually gets worse over time, making it harder to breathe. Your doctor will want to keep a close eye on your symptoms to see how you’re doing and possibly adjust your treatment plan. This could mean taking one or more tests to figure out if your COPD is progressing. Here’s a closer look at each type of test and what it’s for.
CT Scan
When your doctor wants to learn more about your COPD, they might use a CT scan. It’s a special X-ray that takes pictures of the inside of your body from different angles. Using computer technology, it creates detailed images of your bones, blood vessels, and soft tissues, offering more information than regular X-rays. Doctors do this test to find out if you have emphysema or chronic bronchitis, two types of COPD.
A CT scan also gives your doctor a closer look at how your COPD is progressing. It helps them see if the disease is getting worse or staying the same. By using this detailed picture, the doctor can figure out the best way to help you feel better.
Spirometry
The main lung test is called spirometry. With this test, your doctor can find out if you have COPD. They use a special tool called a spirometer to see how much air you can blow out and how fast you can do it. This helps your doctor understand how well your lungs are working, whether normally or poorly.
According to recent research, COPD is not accurately diagnosed or measured in many Black and Asian people when spirometry is the main diagnostic tool used. Researchers are working to find better ways to test for this condition in people in these communities. In the meantime, doctors should use spirometry in combination with other tests to be sure of accurate results.
Oximetry or Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
Oximetry or ABG tests check how much oxygen is in your blood. They help to see if your lungs are putting enough oxygen into the blood and getting rid of carbon dioxide.
Chest X-Ray
This test can't tell if you have COPD, but it's good at ruling out other conditions that seem similar. The chest X-ray also shows your doctor any changes in your lungs linked to COPD. It's like a peek inside your chest, giving your doctor important clues about what might be going on with your breathing.
Alpha-1 Testing
If you have COPD, no matter your age or background, it's important to get tested for AAT deficiency. Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (alpha-1) is a genetic condition that damages your lungs and liver over time. Some call it “genetic COPD,” and it has similar symptoms to COPD, like shortness of breath, a cough that doesn’t go away, and fatigue.
Your doctor might ask for a blood test to check how much AAT protein is in your body. Taking this test helps your health care team understand more about what might be causing your breathing issues.
Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF)
This test is like a speedometer for your breath. It helps your doctor check how quickly you can blow air out of your lungs when you blow as hard as you can. It’s part of spirometry, where you blow into a machine, or it is done using a small gadget you hold in your hand.
Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO)
This test measures the level of nitric oxide in the air you breathe out. If there's a lot of it, it could mean your lung airways are inflamed, which makes it tough to breathe.
During this test, your doctor asks you to blow into a tube connected to a small device. It's not heavy breathing -- you just need to take a couple of steady breaths. There's little risk, and both adults and children ages 5 and older can do it.
Other Tests
Your doctor may order other tests to check if your COPD is progressing. They include:
- Lung volume test. This test measures the air in your lungs, including what stays after a regular breath.
- Diffusing capacity test. Another test called the diffusing capacity test checks how smoothly oxygen gets into your bloodstream.
- Six-minute walk test. If your doctor wants to see how you respond to physical exercise, they might suggest a 6-minute walk test. It helps them figure out how out of breath you get during activity.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG). Your doctor could also have you take an electrocardiogram (ECG) test, which measures the electrical activity of your heart.
- Echocardiogram. You could also need an echocardiogram or an ultrasound scan of your heart.
- Phlegm sample. Your doctor may collect a sample of your spit (phlegm) to check for signs of a chest infection.
Show Sources
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SOURCES:
American Lung Association: “Diagnosing COPD.”
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: “COPD.”
NHS: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).”
Cleveland Clinic: “Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency,” “CT (Computed Tomography) Scan.”
Annals of Internal Medicine: “Comparing Racial Differences in Emphysema Prevalence Among Adults With Normal Spirometry: A Secondary Data Analysis of the CARDIA Lung Study.”
