Pneumonologists

Pneumonology, also referred to as pulmonology in many countries, is a medical specialty focused on diseases of the respiratory system. A pneumonologist treats conditions affecting the lungs, airways, pleura, and chest wall, and collaborates with related fields such as critical care, sleep medicine, oncology, and rheumatology. The specialty encompasses both chronic disease management and acute care, spanning outpatient clinics, hospital consultations, and intensive care settings.

Training in pneumonology typically begins with a medical degree and a residency in internal medicine, followed by a fellowship in pulmonary medicine. Additional certifications may include critical care medicine or sleep medicine. Practitioners develop skills in history-taking, pulmonary imaging, pulmonary function testing, and procedures such as bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, and image-guided lung biopsy.

Pneumonologists diagnose and manage a wide range of conditions, including asthma, COPD, interstitial lung diseases, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension, lung cancer, and pleural diseases. They also oversee long-term management, pulmonary rehabilitation, smoking cessation, and periprocedural care for thoracic surgery patients. In hospital settings, they coordinate care for patients with respiratory failure and those requiring mechanical ventilation.

Common procedures include bronchoscopy, thoracentesis, pleural biopsy, and lung biopsy, as well as diagnostic tests such as spirometry and diffusion capacity testing. They work closely with radiologists, oncologists, and surgeons to plan treatment and assess prognosis.

Terminology varies by region; the term pneumonologist is used in some countries, while pulmonologist is more common in others. Major professional bodies include the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society, which publish guidelines and support research and education in respiratory medicine.