Pulmonary Function Testing is available at the Clinic for patients with asthma, emphysema or other breathing disorders.

Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) evaluate how much air your lungs can hold, how quickly you can move air in and out of your lungs, and how well your lungs add oxygen to the blood and remove carbon dioxide from the blood. Testing is done by a Registered Respiratory Therapist.

Spirometry is the PFT that is done first. It measures how quickly your lungs can move air in and out and how much air is moved in and out. To do this test, you breathe into a mouthpiece of a long flexible tube attached to a recording device (spirometer). 

Gas diffusion tests measure the amount of oxygen and other gases that cross the lungs' air sacs per minute. Gas diffusion tests include:

• Carbon monoxide diffusing capacity

Lung Volumes: The most current technology is used to accurately measure lung volumes using the body plethysmograph. Total lung capacity, thoracic gas volume and residual volume, air flow resistance and conductance can all be measured.

PFTs are done to:

• Diagnose lung diseases.

• Help determine the cause of breathing problems.

• Measure the amount of lung function in a person with lung disease and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

• Identify people at high risk for lung disease.

• Evaluate a person's ability to breath before surgery.

• Monitor the lung function of a person regularly exposed to substances that can damage the lungs.

How to Prepare

• Let your doctor know if you had recent chest pains or a heart attack.

• Let your doctor know if you are allergic to any medications.

• Let your doctor know if you are taking any medication for lung disease.

• Don't have a heavy meal before this test.

• Do not smoke or exercise strenuously for 6 hours before the test. 

• Wear loose fitting clothing.

For most PFTs, you will wear a nose clip to make sure no air passes in or out of your nose during the test. You will breathe into a mouthpiece attached to a recording device. You may be asked to breathe rapidly or normally, or to exhale and inhale deeply and forcibly.

The accuracy of the test depends on how  well you follow all the instructions. The test may take from 5-30 minutes.