Pulmonary Function Laboratory: Referral Directory

Physican Contacts:

Tanya Martinez-Fernandez, M.D.

Key Contacts:

Practice Administrator

Team Lead

Description of services:

Comprehensive pulmonary function testing for children of all ages with disorders of the respiratory system. Conditions evaluated include, but are not limited to:

• Asthma
• Exercise-induced asthma
• Cystic fibrosis
• Neuromuscular diseases
• Restrictive lung disease including intersitial diseases
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Follow-up for patients from critical care, solid organ transplant, hematology-oncology and cardiology.

Procedures performed or problems diagnosed and treated:

• Spirometry
• Lung volumes obtained by plethysmography and nitrogen washout (not dilution)
• Diffusion studies
• End tidal monitoring
• Exercise provocation testing
• Bronchodilator studies
• Methacholine challenge
• Muscle strength
• Infant pulmonary function testing
• Cold air challenge
• Exercise metabolic studies

Please provide the following when calling to schedule a patient for a diagnostic examination:

• Patient name and date of birth
• Probable diagnosis
• Insurance/referral information
• Pertinent clinical findings or symptoms
• Primary care physician

Information for referral sources:

• A written order is required for testing.
• Pre-authorization is required by some insurance plans.
• Patient instructions for specific tests will be provided when the appointment is scheduled.
• To avoid unnecessary testing, have the family bring relevant medical records, test results and X-rays to the appointment.
• Services are provided in close cooperation with the patient’s referring physician.
• Evaluation is provided promptly to the referring physician.

Why Children’s Medical Center?

• Our employees are trained to assist physicians with disease-specific testing and follow-up care.
• More than 1,200 procedures a month are performed for patients with asthma, cystic fibrosis, exercise intolerance, sickle cell disease, neuro-muscular disease, rare restrictive lung diseases, lung disease secondary to childhood cancers, heart disease and organ transplantation.
• Routine tests as well as a variety of sophisticated tests are performed, including Body Box (full body plethsymography), infant pulmonary function testing, pulmonary mechanics and passive mechanics, lung diffusion, provocation by methacholine, cold air, and exercise, anerobic threshold, pulmonary muscle strength and metabolics.
• We use child-friendly, state-of-the-art equipment, and our technologists hold certifications in RRT, NPS, RPFT, and CPFT.

Related Listings:

• Allergy, Immunology & Asthma
• Asthma Management Program
• Cystic Fibrosis
• High Risk Asthma
• Pulmonology
• Respiratory Care

UT Southwestern Medical Center

Respiratory Medicine Program