How to Diagnose a Lung Abscess
A doctor may diagnose a lung abscess by examining the observed signs, physical findings, and your risk factors. During a physical exam, it is quite common to detect a fever. They may also look for signs of dullness to percussion, which is the dull sound when tapping the chest or area above the abscess. In some cases, a sample of phlegm or sputum is collected, but the results may be not accurate. Blood cultures tend to be negative when the dominant form of bacteria is the anaerobe. [7]
