Test | Comments | Disadvantages |
Nasal Nitric Oxide (nNO) | Screening test that is easy to set up; becoming less expensive to set up. | Both false positive and false negative results reported; depends somewhat on cut-off levels. |
Electron microscopy of nasal or bronchial biopsy | Confirmation test. Somewhat painful. Requires experienced lab and interested pathologist. | False negative in about 20 percent. Only available at specialized centers. |
High-speed videomicroscopy analysis (HSVA) | Confirmation test. Requires nasal brush biopsy or nasal/bronchial biopsy, which may be painful. Must be performed on fresh specimen. Requires experienced lab. | Seldom false negative. False positive results occur, so a positive test needs to be repeated. Only available at specialized centers. |
Cell culture of ciliated cells | Confirmation test when other test-results are equivocal. | Complicated, time consuming and available at few centers. |
Sperm motility | Additional test when other test-results are equivocal. | False negative as well as false positive results are reported. |
Genetic testing | Mainly a research tool, but developing rapidly. Expensive. | Identifies only 50 to 60 percent of patients. |
Inhalation of colloid albumin tagged with 99Tc | So far mainly a "research tool" but entering into clinical practice in a few centers. Could be a useful test in the future. | Exposure to radiation. Indirect test measuring mucociliary clearance. A high specificity and sensitivity for PCD is reported but number of reports is still limited. |
Saccharin test | Screening test. Not recommended as false positive as well as false negative results are quite common. Easy to set up. | False positive as well as false negative results are quite common. As a screening test, quite time consuming. |
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