Exams and Tests for ARDS

• Arterial blood gas analysis reveals hypoxemia (reduced levels of oxygen in the blood).

• A complete blood count may be taken. The number of white blood cells is increased in sepsis.

• Chest x-ray will show the presence of fluid in the lungs.

• CT scan of the chest may be required only in some situations (routine chest x-ray is sufficient in most cases).

• Echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart) may help exclude any heart problems that can cause fluid build-up in the lung.

• Monitoring with a pulmonary artery catheter may be done to exclude a cardiac cause for the difficulty in breathing.

• Bronchoscopy (a procedure used to look inside the windpipe and large airways of the lung) may be considered to evaluate the possibility of lung infection.