Breathe Easier With Lung Health Screenings and Treatment Options
Breath is life, and your lung health is our top priority. Our comprehensive team of lung health experts are specially trained to provide the care you need to breathe easier and live the life you love. With screenings to detect lung nodules and leading-edge treatments available, trust you’re in good hands when you come to us. Take a deep breath, schedule a lung screening and get started on your path to healing.
Reach out to request an appointment with one of our lung specialists who are standing by to care for you.
Your Home for Comprehensive Lung Care
We care for every aspect of your lung health by bringing you leading-edge therapies and treatments.
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Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD)
Interstitial Lung Diseases (ILD) are a diverse group of over 200 chronic, often progressive, lung conditions. Find comfort knowing our comprehensive ILD program, available in Central Florida, specializes in helping you find relief from your condition so you can live the life you love.
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Lung Transplant
New lungs breathe new life. We’re equipped to transform yours with innovative treatment and a median wait time that’s less than one-quarter of the national average.
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Pulmonary Hypertension
We’re here to take the pressure off with advanced therapies, specialized surgical options and our chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension program.
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Thoracic Surgery
The core of your body deserves top-notch treatment from a nationally recognized program that specializes in complex thoracic surgeries.
Lung Nodules and Lung Cancer Screening
A lung nodule is a growth on the lung. They are common and typically benign. If you're experiencing symptoms along with a nodule on the lung, our team can perform a lung nodule screening to take a closer look.
- When to Be Concerned About a Lung Nodule
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You should be concerned about lung nodules when they grow, are large or irregularly shaped or they are accompanied by symptoms like persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath or unexplained weight loss.
- When to Get a Lung Cancer Screening
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You should get a lung cancer screening if you have risk factors such as being between the ages of 50 and 80, have smoked a pack a day for 20 years, are a current smoker or have quit smoking within the past 15 years. If you have a family history or are exposed to elements that may put you at risk, you should also be considered for a lung cancer screening.
- Screening Methods
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Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT): A proven test for lung cancer screenings is low-dose computed tomography (LDCT). During this low-dose CT scan, a specific type of X-ray machine scans your body and uses a low dose of radiation to create high-quality images of your lungs and lung tissue. Clinical trials have shown that among heavy smokers, LDCT can reduce the risk of losing their lives to lung cancer.
Robotic navigational bronchoscopy: AdventHealth Orlando recently secured the Ion™ endoluminal system, a robotic-assisted platform for minimally invasive biopsy of the lung.Here’s how robotic navigational bronchoscopy works:
With the patient under general anesthesia, the physician uses a controller to navigate a catheter to the target along a planned path. The catheter can articulate 180° in any direction to pass through small, difficult-to-navigate airways and around tight bends to reach all 18 segments of the lung. A peripheral vision probe provides direct vision during navigation, and once the pulmonary nodule is reached, the catheter locks in place. A flexible biopsy needle then passes through the catheter and deploys into the target location with a pathologist in the room during the procedure to ensure diagnostic sample is obtained. - Pulmonary Rehabilitation
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Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program that helps strengthen your breathing muscles and teaches you ways to manage living with chronic lung disease. A team of providers focuses on exercise and education, but other components could include breathing retraining, chest physiotherapy and airway clearance, mental health support and nutrition.
Pulmonary rehabilitation can help reduce hospitalizations and improve lung function and quality of life for people living with chronic lung conditions, including:
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Interstitial lung disease, like sarcoidosis and pulmonary fibrosis
- Lung cancer
- Lung transplant or lung surgery recovery
- Pulmonary hypertension
Expert Lung Care Delivered With Compassion
When breathing feels harder, everything can feel harder. Our lung experts are here to help you understand what’s going on and build a care plan around your needs, so you can feel stronger with every breath.
Our Lung Health Nurse Navigators Are Here for You
A Nurse Navigator is an expertly trained nurse guide whose job is to provide clinical assistance as well as emotional and spiritual support. This complimentary service includes:
- Answering your questions and explaining information
- Connecting you with physicians and specialists
- Connecting you and your family with resources and support services
- Communicating with your doctors and serving as a constant link between you and the health care team
- Scheduling appointments
- Scheduling private tours of facilities
Patient Resources and Prevention
Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to your lung health. Regular screenings, following your doctor’s orders and partnering with our experts can help strengthen your body, mind and spirit over time.
Our team is ready to help you with smart prevention, understanding your diagnosis, preparing for treatment and long-term healing. We want you to feel confident about the next steps in your plan. Learn more about how we can support you through all the resources available to you.
Breathe Easier With Award-Winning Care
Only National Leader in Central Florida
AdventHealth Orlando is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as national leaders in Pulmonology and Lung Surgery.
Find Advanced Lung Health Care Near You
You’re ready to breathe easier again. Let our experienced teams within the AdventHealth Cardiovascular Institute network guide your path forward. We offer general lung health care and unmatched expertise for pulmonary hypertension, thoracic surgery, lung transplant and more — all coordinated through a trusted national network. Explore our locations or let our team guide you to the one that’s right for you.
Lung Health Frequently Asked Questions
Let us help put your mind at ease by answering some of our patients’ most frequently asked questions.
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Q:Question: What is a pulmonologist and when should I see one?
A:Answer:A pulmonologist is a health care provider that specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect your respiratory system, including your airways and lungs. You might see a pulmonologist if you have a chronic condition that affects your breathing or if you have symptoms like chronic cough, shortness of breath or wheezing.
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Q:Question: What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism?
A:Answer:A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot that blocks and stops blood flow to an artery in the lung.
Pulmonary embolism symptoms can vary greatly, depending on how much of your lung is involved, the size of the clots, and whether you have underlying lung or heart disease.
Common symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:
- A cough that may include bloody or blood-streaked mucus
- Chest pain
- Clammy or discolored skin, called cyanosis
- Excessive sweating
- Fainting
- Fever
- Leg pain or swelling, or both, usually in the back of the lower leg
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
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Q:Question: How is a pulmonary embolism treated?
A:Answer:Treatment of a pulmonary embolism focuses on keeping the blood clot from getting bigger and preventing new clots from forming.
Treatment methods can include medicines, surgery and other procedures, and ongoing care.
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Q:Question: What is pulmonary hypertension?
A:Answer:Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the right side of the heart.
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Q:Question: What are the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension?
A:Answer:Pulmonary hypertension symptoms include:
- Bluish or grayish skin
- Chest pressure or pain
- Dizziness or fainting
- Fast pulse or pounding heartbeat
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath that may start during exercise and eventually happen at rest
- Swelling in the ankles, legs and belly area
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Q:Question: What treatments are available for pulmonary hypertension?
A:Answer:Treatment for pulmonary hypertension (PH) can help ease your symptoms, improve your quality of life and slow disease progression. You may need medications, procedures or surgeries to treat PH directly or target its cause. The exact treatments you’ll receive vary by PH type.
Talk with your provider to learn more about what you can expect and how to manage your condition.
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Q:Question: When should I worry about a lung nodule?
A:Answer:To find out whether your lung nodule is cause for concern, your care team will consider factors such as:
- The size of the lung nodule
- How it looks on the scan — for example, its shape and density
- Your age
- Your smoking history, including how many packs a day you smoke or how many you smoked in the past and for how long
- Whether you have more than one nodule
- Whether you have a history of cancer or a family history of lung cancer
- Whether you have handled asbestos in the past
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Q:Question: What are the symptoms of pulmonary edema?
A:Answer:Pulmonary edema is characterized by fluid accumulation in the lungs, leading to symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, and chest tightness.
Common symptoms of pulmonary edema include:
- A feeling of suffocating or drowning that worsens when lying down
- Chest tightness or pain
- Coughing
- Shortness of Breath
- Wheezing
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Q:Question: What are the symptoms of COPD?
A:Answer:When it comes to COPD, shortness of breath is usually the first sign. But since most people associate breathing issues with normal aging, they tend to overlook it as a precursor for more serious health issues. That’s why COPD often isn't found until the disease has advanced.
Other COPD symptoms may include:
- A chronic cough that produces mucus
- Blue lips or nail beds
- Chest tightness
- Frequent respiratory infections
- Lack of energy
- Swelling of feet, legs or ankles
- Unintended weight loss (in later stages)
- Wheezing
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Q:Question: What are the symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis?
A:Answer:Symptoms of pulmonary fibrosis can include:
- Aching muscles and joints
- Dry cough
- Extreme fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Unintended weight loss
- Widening and rounding of the tips of the fingers or toes, called clubbing