Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome - Diagnosis - Diagnosis

To help diagnose ARDS, your doctor may ask you about any medical conditions or recent events that could be considered risk factors. For example, travelling could be a risk factor because of potential exposure to infections that are more common in certain geographic areas. Your doctor may also ask about your symptoms and whether you have a heart problem, such as heart failure, or another condition that can cause signs and symptoms similar to those for ARDS.

Your doctor will examine you for signs of ARDS. This exam may include:

• Listening to your lungs through a stethoscope for abnormal breathing sounds, such as crackling
• Listening to your heart for a fast heart rate
• Checking for signs that you are having difficulty breathing, such as using muscles in your chest to help you breath
• Examining your skin or lips for a bluish tone, which can signal a low blood oxygen level
• Examining your body for swelling or other signs of extra fluid, which may be linked to heart or kidney problems
• Measuring your blood pressure and oxygen levels

To diagnose ARDS, your doctor may have you undergo some of the following tests and procedures. Different tests may be appropriate for different ages.

• Blood tests to measure the oxygen level in your blood using a sample of blood taken from an artery. A low blood oxygen level might be a sign of ARDS. In order to confirm the cause of your symptoms, your doctor may also check your blood for signs of infection or a heart problem, or to see how well other organs are working.
• Chest X-ray to create detailed images of the inside of your chest. This test is generally the standard for showing excess fluid in your lungs.
• CT (computed tomography) scan of the chest or abdomen to create detailed images of your lungs or check for abdominal infections.
• Other tests of blood oxygen levels, such as pulse oximetry, that do not require collecting a blood sample. For these tests, a sensor is attached to the skin or placed on a hand or foot.

Other tests can help find the cause of your ARDS or determine if there is another type of problem. These include:

• A sputum culture to help find the cause of an infection. The culture is used to study the phlegm you have coughed up from your lungs.
• Bronchoscopy to diagnose a lung problem when there is no clear cause of your ARDS. As part of this test, your doctor may rinse an area of your lung to get cells and examine them under a microscope or with other tests.
• Echocardiogram or a lung ultrasound. These tests can help your doctor rule out heart failure, congenital heart defects, or other breathing problems.
• Lung biopsy , when other tests do not confirm a diagnosis
• Urine test to detect bacterial infections or rule out kidney problems

• Return to Risk Factors to review infections, lifestyle, or other factors that increase your risk of developing ARDS.
• Return to Signs, Symptoms, and Complications to review common signs and symptoms of ARDS.