Obligatory medical device diagnostics.
- Electrocardiogram (ECG; recording of the electrical activity of the heart muscle) – to rule out myocardial infarction (heart attack).
- X-ray of the thorax (X-ray thorax/chest), in two planes.
Optional medical device diagnostics – depending on the results of the history, physical examination and obligatory laboratory parameters – for differential diagnostic clarification.
- X-rays of the spine, ribs – if bony cause is suspected.
- Abdominal sonography (ultrasound examination of abdominal organs) – if cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation) or pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) is suspected
- Spirometry (basic examination in the context of pulmonary function diagnostics) – if bronchial asthma is suspected.
- Echocardiography (echo; heart ultrasound) – if pericarditis is suspected.
- Gastroscopy (gastroscopy)/endosonography (endoscopic ultrasound (EUS); ultrasound examination performed from the inside, i.e., the ultrasound probe is brought into direct contact with the internal surface (for example, the mucosa of the stomach/intestine) by means of an endoscope (optical instrument)). – When suspected diseases of the esophagus, stomach.
- Computed tomography of the thorax/chest (thoracic CT) – when bronchial carcinoma (lung cancer), pulmonary embolism, mediastinitis (inflammation of the mediastinum) is suspected.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine (spinal MRI) – on suspicion of cervical disc lesion (disc damage in the cervical spine).