Pulmonary Function Testing evaluates respiratory status and identifies suspected pulmonary disease. State-of-the-art equipment to perform everything from ABGs, simple spirometry, complex spirometry, lung volumes, diffusion capacity, airways resistance to complete studies.

Pulmonary Function Testing has been a major step forward in assessing the functional status of the lungs as it relates to:

How much air volume can be moved in and out of the lungs

How fast the air in the lungs can be moved in and out

How stiff are the lungs and chest wall - a question about compliance

The diffusion characteristics of the membrane through which the gas moves determined by special tests

How the lungs respond to chest physical therapy procedures

Pulmonary Function Tests are used for the following reasons:

• Screening for the presence of obstructive and restrictive diseases
• Evaluating the patient prior to surgery - this is especially true of patients who:

• are older than 60-65 years of age
• are known to have pulmonary disease
• are obese (as in pathologically obese)
• have a history of smoking, cough or wheezing
• will be under anesthesia for a lengthy period of time
• are undergoing an abdominal or a thoracic operation

• Evaluating the patient's condition for weaning from a ventilator.

• Documenting the progression of pulmonary disease - restrictive or obstructive
• Documenting the effectiveness of therapeutic intervention

The primary instrument used in pulmonary function testing is the spirometer. It is designed to measure changes in volume and can only measure lung volume compartments that exchange gas with the atmosphere.

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