Table 1 Nonradiological tests for ILD
From: Diagnosis and management of drug-associated interstitial lung disease
Alternative diagnosis | Test |
|---|---|
Infection | Erythrocyte sedimentation rate |
C-reactive protein levels | |
White blood cell count and differential count of leucocytes | |
Sputum/blood cultures | |
Serum antibody tests for pathogens, for example, fungal infection, beta-D-glutan, clamydia, cytomegalovirus, etc | |
PCR in blood, other body fluids, etc | |
Cancer | Tumour markers |
progression | Changes in pleural effusion and pericardial effusion |
Biopsy evidence | |
Association | KL-6, SP-A, SP-D or serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels |
with ILD | LDH levels |
Respiratory function tests: SpO2, with or without exercise; %vital capacity, FEV1/forced vital capacity; and %DLCO | |
Bronchioalveolar lavage combined with fibrescopic transbronchial lung biopsy | |
Renal failure | Blood urea nitrogen levels |
Creatinine levels | |
Sodium, potassium and chloride levels | |
Heart failure | Electrocardiogram for myocardial infarction |
Reduced left ventricle ejection fraction on echocardiogram | |
Anaemia | Red blood cell count |
Haemoglobin levels | |
Pulmonary | Proximal obstruction of pulmonary artery on contrast CT scan |
embolus | Perfusion lung scan, lung scintigraphy |
Blood tests for thrombophilia: platelet count, fibrinogen degradation product levels, prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time | |
LDH levels | |
Histology from lung biopsy or specimens obtained at autopsy | |
