Pulmonary Function Lab
The Pulmonary Function Lab at Upstate Lung offers a wide range of pulmonary function testing (lung function) and exercise tests to assist physicians in diagnosing and managing patients with breathing problems and/or lung disease. Pulmonary function tests help measure the different aspects of lung function and can help determine the cause of shortness of breath and may help confirm lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis or emphysema. The tests are also used to measure how a lung disease in progressing or how serious the lung disease has become. Pulmonary function tests can also be used to assess how a patient is responding to different treatments.
Simple Spirometry
Spirometry is the first and most commonly done lung function test. It measures how much and how quickly you can move air out of your lungs.
Pulse Oximetry – SpO2
Pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas tests show how much oxygen is in your blood. During pulse oximetry, a small sensor is attached to your finger or ear. The sensor uses light to estimate how much oxygen is in your blood. This test is painless and no needles are used.
Lung Diffusion Capacity (Dlco)
This test measures how well oxygen passes from your lungs to your bloodstream. During this test, you breathe in a type of gas through a tube. You hold your breath for a brief moment and then blow out the gas.
Lung Volumes
Lung volumes provide useful information that confirms the presence of restrictive lung disease suggested by a low vital capacity on a spirometry test.
Lung volume measurement can be performed in two ways:
* The most accurate way is for a person to sit in a body plethysmography, a sealed, transparent box that resembles a telephone booth, while breathing in and out against into a mouthpiece. Changes in pressure inside the box allow determination of the lung volume.
* Lung volume can also be measured when a person breathes nitrogen gas through a tube for a specified period of time. The concentration of the gas in a chamber attached to the tube is measured, allowing estimation of the lung volume.