The diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia is made in the premature newborn who has received ventilation for a prolonged time and who has signs of respiratory distress and a prolonged need for supplemental oxygen. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is diagnosed through a chest x-ray, which reveals inflamed lung tissue, and arterial blood gas, a test that measures the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the arterial blood. Low levels of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide show that the lungs are not functioning well.
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