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Patient EducationAug | 12 | 2019

Pulmonary Hypertension: Diagnosis

How do doctors diagnose pulmonary hypertension?

Doctors can diagnose pulmonary hypertension through imaging tests, heart tests and blood tests.

Imaging tests

Chest X-ray
Echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart)
Heart tests
Cardiac catheterization (when a doctor puts a small tube with a pressure sensor into a blood vessel)

Other tests

Physical exam
Review of your child's medical and family history
Walk test to check your child's breathing while he exercises
Blood tests
If the doctor is not sure of the cause, it is called idiopathic pulmonary hypertension.

Rev. 3/2018. Reviewed by the MGfC Family Advisory Council. This webpage is intended to provide health information so that you can be better informed. It is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to treatment of any medical conditions.