Bronchoscopy Procedure
Diagnostic Imaging for Pulmonary Conditions
In a bronchoscopy procedure, your doctor is able to see your breathing
passages / airways using a slender instrument that is called a “bronchoscope.”
This flexible fiber-optic device utilizes a camera and light source on
the end. Many bronchoscopes allow for full-color imaging, so your doctor
can get a highly clear and detailed view.
This procedure allows your doctor to get a close, clear view of your:
- Lower airways
- Larynx
- Trachea
- Throat
- Small airways in the lungs such as bronchi and bronchioles
How Does a Bronchoscopy Work?
Your doctor conducts the bronchoscopy by threading the scope through your
mouth or nose, into your trachea or “windpipe,” and down into
your lungs. In some cases, a bronchoscopy is used not only as a viewing
device, but also as a tool for treatment, providing medication to the
lungs or removing an object stuck in your breathing passages. Bronchoscopies
are often ordered in response to abnormal findings in a computerized tomography
(CT) scan or chest X-ray.
A bronchoscopy can diagnose:
- Lung disease
- Cause of chronic coughing
- Infection
- Tumors
Learn more about the pulmonary diagnostic services provided by the skilled
doctors at our Fremont facility. Visit Washington Township Medical Foundation
for additional information about diagnosing pulmonary conditions.