Comprehensive PCD diagnostics

 

PCD is severely underdiagnosed in Switzerland. The reasons for this are the very wide variability and severity of symptoms as well as the non-specificity of symptoms, especially in patients without situs inversus (see "What is PCD?"). In addition, the diagnosis, which is only meaningful through a sequence of different tests, requires a sophisticated infrastructure and experience. Based on 30 years of experience in structural PCD diagnostics, the interdisciplinary PCD-UNIBE was established at the Inselspital Bern and the University of Bern to offer the full portfolio of analytical methods embedded in an experienced team of clinicians and biomedical researchers.

 

The normal workflow of current PCD diagnostics includes the following structural, functional and biochemical routines:

 

• Nasal nitric oxide measurement [nNO]
• Nasal brushing
• High-speed video analysis [HSVM] of cilia motility and mucus transport
• Immunofluorescence
• Transmission electron microscopy
• Cell culture
• Genetic testing