Pulmonary Diagnostics & Testing
Comprehensive Diagnostic Testing to Determine Lung & Breathing Problems
At Bronson, all respiratory and pulmonary diagnostic tests are performed by respiratory technicians. They are specially trained in detecting breathing problems and are here to help you get back to doing the things you love. With testing sites throughout southwest and south central Michigan, you can always receive the tests you need close to home.
Arterial Blood Gas Test
An arterial blood gas (ABG) test uses a small blood sample taken from an artery to measure oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in your blood. It also evaluates your blood's acid-base balance (pH), oxygen saturation and other values that help assess how well your lungs are delivering oxygen and removing carbon dioxide.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Van Buren County
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET)
A cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) evaluates how well your heart, lungs and muscles work together during exercise. During the test, we measure the oxygen your body uses, the carbon dioxide it produces, your breathing pattern and your heart rhythm (EKG) while you ride a stationary bicycle.
Kalamazoo County
Complete Pulmonary Function Test
Pulmonary function tests measure how well you inhale and exhale air through the lungs, as well as how efficiently oxygen transfers into your blood. To complete the test, you breathe into a mouthpiece for a certain amount of time. This test is used to test for several lung conditions, but most often for asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Optional Tests with Complete Pulmonary Function Tests
- MVV: Maximal minute ventilation is the volume of gas inhaled (inhaled minute volume) or exhaled (exhaled minute volume) from a person's lungs per minute.
- MEPS/MIPS: Maximum inspiratory pressure to evaluate inspiratory respiratory muscle strength Maximum expiratory pressure obtained by having the patient exhale as strongly as possible against a mouthpiece; the maximum value is near total lung capacity.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Methacholine Challenge Test
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, you might need to complete the methacholine challenge test. It helps determine the severity of your condition. During the test, you will be asked to inhale a mist to determine how responsive your airway is.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Simple Spirometry Test
Simple spirometry is one of the most common types of pulmonary function tests. By exhaling slowly into a sensor, a respiratory technician will determine the amount and/or speed at which you inhale and exhale air. It can be used to test for conditions like asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis and COPD.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Van Buren County
Spirometry Test with Bronchodilator
This breathing test measures how well your lungs are working by assessing how much air you can breathe in and out and how quickly you can exhale. During the test, you will receive a bronchodilator medication (albuterol) to help open your airways. The test is then repeated to see how your lungs respond to the medication, which can help diagnose and evaluate conditions such as asthma and other breathing disorders.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Van Buren County
Spirometry Test with Asthma Education
This breathing test measures how well your lungs are working by evaluating how much air you can breathe in and out and how quickly you can exhale. In addition to the lung function test, you will receive asthma education based on nationally recognized guidelines. Education topics include asthma signs and symptoms, managing environmental triggers, proper medication use and potential side effects, and tips for exercising safely with asthma. This program helps you better understand and manage your asthma to improve your overall respiratory health.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Van Buren County
Spirometry Test with Medications and COPD Education
This breathing test measures how well your lungs are working by evaluating how much air you can breathe in and out and how quickly you can exhale. In addition to the lung function test, you will receive COPD education based on GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) guidelines. Education topics include recognizing COPD symptoms, breathing exercises, proper medication use and potential side effects and practical wellness techniques to help improve breathing and manage your condition. This program is designed to help you better understand COPD and take an active role in your respiratory health.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Van Buren County
Six-Minute Walks for Oxygen Qualification
The six-minute walk is used to test how far you can walk in six minutes. It helps measure the functional capacity of your lungs.
Calhoun County
Kalamazoo County
Van Buren County
COPD Education
COPD education helps patients understand their condition, manage symptoms, use medications correctly and adopt strategies to improve breathing and quality of life.
Calhoun County
Van Buren County
Asthma Education
Asthma education helps patients understand their condition, recognize symptoms, use medications correctly and learn strategies to manage asthma and prevent flare-ups.
Calhoun County
Van Buren County
Imaging Technology
Ion Robotic-Assisted Bronchoscopy
Bronson offers Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy, an advanced, minimally invasive procedure used to biopsy lung nodules that are detected during a lung screening or other imaging exam. This innovative technology enables pulmonologists to navigate deep within the lungs and reach small, hard-to-access nodules with greater precision.
During the procedure, tissue samples are collected and sent to a laboratory for testing. The ability to obtain an accurate diagnosis earlier can help identify lung cancer and other lung conditions sooner, allowing patients to begin treatment more quickly when needed.
Compared with traditional biopsy methods, Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy may reduce the need for more invasive procedures while providing access to areas of the lung that were previously difficult to reach.
A physician referral is required for an Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy.
