Katrina Newbigin is a pulmonologist based in Brisbane, QLD, Australia. She works with people who have breathing and lung conditions, from slower, ongoing problems to more sudden changes that need quick attention.
In many cases, her patients are dealing with lung disease linked to work exposures. This can include coal worker’s pneumoconiosis and silicosis, where inhaled dust has caused scarring in the lungs over time. She also looks after people with interstitial lung disease, which is a broad group of conditions where the lung tissue can become inflamed or stiff.
Sometimes the issues are more acute. Katrina treats presentations such as acute interstitial pneumonia, where symptoms can come on faster and people may feel quite unwell. She also assesses problems involving the mediastinum, including mediastinal tumours, when they may be affecting breathing or airways.
Katrina also helps with care for broader body conditions that can show up in the chest. For example, amyloidosis can affect more than one area, including the heart (cardiac amyloidosis) and the body overall (primary amyloidosis). And for people who are struggling with breathing even when scans or tests are not showing a clear lung cause, she may also consider hyperventilation, which can happen when the body’s breathing pattern gets out of sync under stress or after an illness.
People usually come to a specialist visit with lots of questions. Katrina’s approach is steady and practical, focused on understanding what’s going on, what the next steps should be, and how to manage symptoms day to day. She works with local referrals across Brisbane so patients can get the right tests and care plan for their situation.
