Pulmonary Imaging Program

Overview

The Pulmonary Imaging Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Diagnostics Institute offers subspecialty expertise in the diagnosis of thoracic diseases. These are diseases that can involve the heart, lungs, chest wall, mediastinum (the partition of the chest cavity), and pleura (the thin membrane covering the lungs and lining the chest cavity).

To help diagnose and treat thoracic diseases, thoracic imaging studies may be carried out. These are done using state-of-the-art technology to support a comprehensive range of diagnostic and treatment procedures of the chest. Specialists from the Pulmonary Imaging Program will assist surgeons in image-guided, minimally invasive, and robotic surgeries. Robotically-assisted surgeries are highly advantageous as they allow for greater accuracy in very complex operations and offer the patient a quicker recovery.

The Pulmonary Imaging Program consists of a multidisciplinary team, predominantly led by consultant physicians who are leading experts in the diagnostic field of pulmonary diseases, who together focus on providing Patients First care.

What We Treat

The Pulmonary Imaging Program supports other Institutes at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to facilitate timely and accurate disease diagnosis, as well as provide specialized care during image-guided procedures. Caregivers may participate in diagnosis or treatment of the following conditions:

• Lung cancer
• Pulmonary emphysema (damage to the air sacs in the lungs that causes shortness of breath)
• Interstitial lung disease (group of disorders characterized by scarring of the deep lung tissue)
• Occupational lung disease (lung disease caused by pollution in the workplace)
• Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure affecting blood vessels in the lungs)
• Infectious lung diseases, including tuberculosis
• Lung failure.

Diagnosis & Treatment

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Pulmonary Imaging Program provides advanced diagnostic computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the evaluation of different lung diseases of restrictive and obstructive pathophysiology.

Dedicated imaging protocols for CT and MRI image acquisition and processing are specially designed to provide optimal imaging for the evaluation of thoracic diseases. Pulmonary Imaging Program caregivers collaborate with physicians in Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Integrated Hospital Care Institute to assist in disease diagnosis and treatment.

The Pulmonary Imaging Program is unique in its ability to utilize advanced post-processing software for manipulation of data through 3D techniques to create high resolution chest images in different planes. The addition of Dual energy CT can further provide iodine perfusion maps to the lungs.

For any pulmonary Imaging exam, a patient is first referred by a doctor from another Institute for the appropriate diagnostic test, according to their condition.

Once the appointment is booked, the patient will receive specific preparation instructions. Adhering to these guidelines is very important to ensure accurate results and to avoid delay in patient care.

Upon arrival, patients are greeted by a caregiver who will guide them through the test and answer any questions they may have.

After each exam, Pulmonary Imaging Program caregivers compile an integrated report for the referring physician, offering a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s overall condition.

Meet Our Team

The Pulmonary Imaging Program is made up of a multidisciplinary team of caregivers that work in close communication with referring physicians. Caregivers involved in patient care for this program include:

• Radiologists
• Technologists specialized in pulmonary imaging
• Nurses specially trained to work with patients undergoing pulmonary imaging procedures.