Rheumatoid lung disease

Lung disease - rheumatoid arthritis; Rheumatoid nodules

• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Chest pain
• Fever

• Joint swelling
• Joint stiffness
• Joint pain
• Skin nodules

The doctor may hear crackles when listening to the lungs with a stethoscope (auscultation). Or, the patient may have decreased breath sounds, a rubbing sound, or normal breath sounds.

The following tests may show problems consistent with rheumatoid lung disease:

• Chest x-ray
• CT scan of the chest
• Echocardiogram (may show pulmonary hypertension)
• Needle inserted into the fluid around the lung (thoracentesis)
• Bronchoscopic, video-assisted, or open lung biopsy