Lung function tests
Explanation
Lung function tests, also called pulmonary function tests or PFTs, measure different parts of breathing. Some measure how air moves in and out, others measure how much air the lungs hold or how gas passes into the blood. Several tests may be needed because each answers a different question.
How do the main tests differ?
Spirometry measures the amount and speed of air you breathe out. Lung-volume tests measure the air the lungs hold, including air left after breathing out. Diffusion testing checks how well a small amount of test gas passes from the lung air spaces into the blood.
Why are some breathing attempts repeated?
Spirometry depends on following the breathing instructions closely, so several attempts help check that the measurements are reliable. The test may also be repeated after an inhaled medicine that opens the airways, to see whether airflow changes.
What does the result mean?
Results are compared with expected values that take factors such as age, height and sex into account. A percentage of a predicted value is a comparison with that reference; it is not the percentage of your lungs that still work.
An unusual result does not identify the cause on its own. A normal spirometry result also does not answer every question about the lungs. The pattern across tests, your symptoms and other findings help with interpretation.
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