Pulmonary Function Tests

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Pulmonary function tests (PFT’s) measure how well you can move air in and out of your lungs. PFT’s, also called breathing tests, will help your healthcare provider to tell if you have lung disease, how severe it is and what medications may help. Specially trained staff will coach you throughout the tests. The staff is also competent in doing PFT in children.

The diffusion capacity is also done in PFT lab in selected patients. In this test, the patient exhales fully, then breathes in another special mixture of gas. A component of this gas mixture rapidly diffuses from the airway into the blood. When the patient exhales after about 10 seconds of breath holding, the expired breath is collected in an airtight bag and analyzed. The results of the diffusion capacity test relate to the body's ability to extract oxygen from the lungs.

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