Bronchoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that allows your doctor to look at your airway through a thin viewing instrument called a bronchoscope. During a bronchoscopy, your doctor will examine your throat, larynx , trachea  and lower airways.

Determining the physical capability of an individual with COPD is an important aspect of planning his or her clinical treatment. Because many people, especially those who are elderly, are unable to perform the standard treadmill-based exercise test used to evaluate exercise capacity, the 6-minute walk test was developed as a valid alternative.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing is an important clinical tool to evaluate exercise capacity and predict outcomes in patients with heart failure and other cardiac conditions.