Lung Function Laboratory
Inspirational Quote about breathing
Spirometry
This is the most common but least comfortable procedure as it requires a maximal exhalation to give accurate results. You will be asked to take a deep breath in and blow out as hard and as fast as you can. Conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive airways disease can be suspected clinically but must be confirmed by the presence of airflow limitation on this test. Whether this improves with an inhaler or not will help us to tailor your diagnosis and treatment plan. Monitoring this over time is extremely useful in guaging response of and success to treatment.
Body Plethysmography (Lung Volumes)
Using our ‘body box’ to be able to measure the volume and pressure in a confined space, we are able to measure the volume of air that is in the lungs during different breathing maneouvres. This helps to diagnosis conditions where the volume of air in the lung is reduced, like pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, obesity, and respiratory muscle disease. This is very important in patients who are about to undergo lung biopsy or resection, in order to estimate what their lung function will be after these procedures.
Gas Diffusing Capacity
The main job of the lungs is to get oxygen from the air into our blood. We can measure the function of the membrane between air and blood, and detect abnormalities in this process. This occurs in conditions such as pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung diseases.