Dr. Raj Gopal Karunakara M.D.

Sputum is a combination of mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract and saliva. It is usually a result of diseases or infections. Phlegm and sputum are often interchangeably used. Sometimes, the term mucus is used when referring to sputum or phlegm. However, mucus is also produced in the...

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) refers to pneumonia that develops in people with very less or no contact with any medical setting such as a hospital or clinic. Most of the time, the people who are infected with CAP are healthy individuals.Background of the DiseaseFour million cases...

Emily Sorensen is all smiles as she wears her autographed BYU batting helmet, cheering on her new team on the softball field. For her mom, Yannie Sorensen, seeing her little girl energetic and excited is a priceless gift. Emily suffers from cystic fibrosis, and since she was a young child, she has...

Atelectasis is not a household name and many people would probably freak out and be confused if they are told that they have it. You are probably wondering what it means and what its causes are.To define atelectasis, we can say that it is a medical condition where a portion or all of your lungs...

What is pleurisy?The pleural membrane is a very thin membrane that surrounds your lungs. It has two layers:...

Atypical Pneumonia: What is it?Atypical pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by organisms other than the ones that usually cause pneumonia. The organisms responsible for atypical pneumonia include Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydia Pneumoniae. Atypical pneumonia is...