What diagnostic tests might be performed? To make sure you don’t have pneumonia or tuberculosis, your health care provider may order a chest x-ray. To determine whether your illness is caused by an infection and to help identify the source of the infection, your health care provider may ask you to cough up some sputum (phlegm). The sputum will be examined under a microscope for the presence of white blood cells (your body’s disease-fighting cells) and bacteria.

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