pulmonary test and measurements

tidal volume

volume of air in norma breath

inspiratory reserve volume

max volume of air inhaled above the tidal volume

expiratory reserve volume

max volume of air expelled beyond tidal volume

residual volume

volume of air in the lungs after max forced exhalation

FEV1

volume of air expelled in one sec after max inhalation

forced vital capacity

max volume of air inhaled and exhaled

total lung capacity

sum of all four lung volumes

inspiratory capactiy

sum of inspiratory reserve volume and tidal volume; max volume of air inhaled

functional residual capacity

sum of ERV and RV—volume of air remaining in lungs at the end of a normal breath

lung obstruction

increased FRC and TLC, normal or decrease FVC

lung restriction

due to decreased FRC, FVC, and TLC

spirometry

most common pulmonary function test

spirometry

measures the volume and speed of air that can be inhaled and exhaled; used to monitor progression of lung disease and response to therapy

FEV1

most clinical relevance test

body plethysmography

method used to measure lung capacities: TLC, FRC, RV; detects pressure and volume in airtight box

body plethysmography

more accurate than spirometry

bronchodilators responsiveness test

test in which pt must hold inhaler before, then perform spirometry at baseline, then given albuterol, wait, and repeat spirometry

methacholine challenge test

useful in pt with suspected asthma but normal baseline spirometry

lung diffusion testing

test for gas exchange; determines how well gases diffuse that alveolar capillary membrane; detects dead space and emphysema; for both obstructive and restrictive lung disease

fractional exhaled nitric oxide

test for NO in breath, biomarker for airway inflammation; may indicate: asthma, eosinophilic bronchitis, allergic rhinitis, eczema

six minute walk test

can test quality of life and predict morbidity/mortality in COPD, HF

peak expiratory flow rate

volume of air forcefully expelled from the lungs in one quick exhalation; a beneficial at home test for asthma pt with difficulty recognizing severity of sx or for diagnosis if spirometry not available

carbon monoxide breath test

measures CO for smoking pts (>10 is consistently with smoking)

infiltrate

the filling of airspaces with fluid, inflammatory exudates, or cells that fill a region of lung and increase the visual impression of increased soft density