Clinical investigations are important to enable clinicians to help confirm or rule out suspected diagnosis. Common investigations performed in primary or secondary care include spirometry, PEF monitoring, arterial and capillary blood gas analysis, x-ray, allergy testing and a variety of other tests.

The Respiratory Diagnostics Level 7 module, validated by the University of Hertfordshire, will address the principles underpinning a number of respiratory investigations and will seek to provide studies with a critical view of the accuracy and validity of the tests, by consideration of the concepts of sensitivity and specificity.

Linked to this the students will also explore the importance of utilising the patient and the patient's history to both guide the selection and interpretation of investigation results to reach firm conclusions to inform diagnosis.