Pulmonology

Our pulmonary medicine specialists use the latest, evidence-based treatment methods to identify and treat every lung condition. This way, you can take a deep breath, knowing you're in good hands.

Our Approach to Pulmonology

Your breath is the very essence of life. Your lungs work hard every day to deliver oxygen to every cell in your body. When your breathing is affected by an illness or disease, pulmonary medicine specialists can help you breathe easier and keep your respiratory system as healthy as possible.

Here's what you can expect by connecting with our team: 

• You're the most important person on your care team: If you're struggling to breathe, it affects all aspects of your life. In addition to evaluating your symptoms, we want to understand your goals and lifestyle so we can determine what treatment would work best to help you achieve the best quality of life. Our pulmonologists may order diagnostic procedures such as biopsies, X-rays, CT scans, and sleep studies to diagnose your condition.
• A team approach: While your care starts with a pulmonary medicine specialist, we may involve other experts to ensure you receive the most thorough care. This can include radiologists, cardiologists, interventional pulmonologists, thoracic surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, or cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialists. 
• Advanced minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment: When needed, our pulmonary specialists may refer you to interventional pulmonologists who can provide robotic-assisted and minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment for advanced airway or respiratory disease, including lung cancer. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained interventional pulmonologists also use these advanced techniques to treat symptoms like shortness of breath, airway obstructions, and fluid around the lungs to ease your breathing. 
• COVID-19 experts: At Virtua, we've treated more COVID patients than any other health system in South Jersey. Through our Care After COVID program, we can offer relief from lingering breathing issues caused by long COVID.

Lung and Respiratory Conditions We Treat

When you've been diagnosed with a lung condition, it can significantly impact your physical and emotional well-being. Our team can effectively manage every type of lung condition, including:

• Asthma and allergies
• COPD (chronic bronchitis and emphysema)
• COVID and post-COVID respiratory conditions
• Chronic cough
• Cystic fibrosis
• Dyspnea, or trouble breathing
• Lung cancer
• Lung disease
• Mesothelioma
• Pneumonia
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Sarcoidosis
• Sleep disorders

Pulmonology Tests and Treatments

Pulmonologists use a variety of diagnostic tools and expertise to diagnose lung disorders, including:

• Listening to your lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal sounds, like wheezing or crackling.
• Spirometry, a painless breathing test that measures how much air your lungs can hold and how quickly you can expel it.
• Imaging tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, or PET scans, to get a detailed picture of your lungs.
• Blood tests to check for signs of infection or inflammation.
• Sleep studies to diagnose sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea.
• Referral to an interventional pulmonologist who focuses on diagnosing and treating lung diseases using robotic and minimally invasive techniques, reducing the need for surgery or invasive procedures.

Pulmonologists also offer various treatments to help you breathe easier and manage your lung condition. These include:

• Medications, including inhalers, nebulizers, and oral medications to help you control symptoms and improve your lung function.
• Oxygen therapy, for people with severe lung disease.
• Pulmonary rehabilitation, where you’ll work with respiratory therapists to help strengthen your lungs and improve your breathing.

When needed, your pulmonologist may refer you to a Virtua thoracic surgeon or interventional pulmonologist to treat more advanced lung disease or lung cancer. Our teams work together to help make scheduling appointments and procedures easy and seamless.