Pulmonary function tests are a broad range of tests that measure how well the lungs take in and exhale air and how efficiently they transfer oxygen into the blood.
The information gathered during this test is useful in diagnosing certain types of lung disorders, but is most useful when assessing for obstructive lung diseases (especially asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD). Lung volume measurement detects restrictive lung diseases. In this set of diseases, a person cannot inhale a normal volume of air. Restrictive lung diseases may be caused by inflammation or scarring of the lung tissue (interstitial lung disease) or by abnormalities of the muscles or skeleton of the chest wall.
Types of Pulmonary Function Tests are:
- Spirometry
- Lung Volumes
- Gas Exchange Testing (DLCO)
- Maximal Voluntary Ventilation (MVV)
- Oxygen Titration Test
- Six-Minute Walk Test
- Methacholine Challenge Test
- Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
- Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO)
- Impulse Oscillation or Forced Oscillation Testing (IOS)
- Compliance Testing
- High Altitude Simulation Testing
