Abstract
Despite the proliferation of diagnostic procedures, pneumonia remains a clinical and therapeutic challenge. The approach to the patient is directed toward identifying aetiological agents and instituting the treatment of choice for the infection. However, the initial treatment is often empirical due to the difficulties in obtaining a precise aetiological diagnosis and the potential severity of the illness. Noninvasive methods for aetiological diagnosis of pneumonia still represent the cornerstone of microbiological diagnosis. The time-honoured but criticized Gram's stain and sputum culture are now supported by newer techniques such as antigen detection, molecular biology etc. that improve the sensitivity and specificity of pathogen identification. This paper reviews new and old noninvasive techniques with respect to accuracy, reliability and clinical relevance in the etiological diagnosis of pneumonia.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 157-174 |
| Number of pages | 18 |
| Journal | European Respiratory Monograph |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 1997 |
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Keywords
- Noninvasive diagnosis
- Pneumonia
- Sputum
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Cite this
Noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of pneumonia. / Blasi, F.; Cosentini, R.
In: European Respiratory Monograph, Vol. 2, No. 3, 1997, p. 157-174.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Noninvasive methods for the diagnosis of pneumonia
AU - Blasi, F.
AU - Cosentini, R.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - Despite the proliferation of diagnostic procedures, pneumonia remains a clinical and therapeutic challenge. The approach to the patient is directed toward identifying aetiological agents and instituting the treatment of choice for the infection. However, the initial treatment is often empirical due to the difficulties in obtaining a precise aetiological diagnosis and the potential severity of the illness. Noninvasive methods for aetiological diagnosis of pneumonia still represent the cornerstone of microbiological diagnosis. The time-honoured but criticized Gram's stain and sputum culture are now supported by newer techniques such as antigen detection, molecular biology etc. that improve the sensitivity and specificity of pathogen identification. This paper reviews new and old noninvasive techniques with respect to accuracy, reliability and clinical relevance in the etiological diagnosis of pneumonia.
AB - Despite the proliferation of diagnostic procedures, pneumonia remains a clinical and therapeutic challenge. The approach to the patient is directed toward identifying aetiological agents and instituting the treatment of choice for the infection. However, the initial treatment is often empirical due to the difficulties in obtaining a precise aetiological diagnosis and the potential severity of the illness. Noninvasive methods for aetiological diagnosis of pneumonia still represent the cornerstone of microbiological diagnosis. The time-honoured but criticized Gram's stain and sputum culture are now supported by newer techniques such as antigen detection, molecular biology etc. that improve the sensitivity and specificity of pathogen identification. This paper reviews new and old noninvasive techniques with respect to accuracy, reliability and clinical relevance in the etiological diagnosis of pneumonia.
KW - Noninvasive diagnosis
KW - Pneumonia
KW - Sputum
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030792885&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030792885&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030792885
VL - 2
SP - 157
EP - 174
JO - European Respiratory Monograph
JF - European Respiratory Monograph
SN - 1025-448X
IS - 3
ER -