FAQ
Frequently Asked
Pulmonary Function Tests
Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) include different kinds of breathing tests that measure how well your lungs exchange air.
Your healthcare provider may order pulmonary function tests if you have lung or airway symptoms like cough or shortness of breath, are undergoing surgery or use tobacco products (smoke). These symptoms may include:
Chest tightness, pain or pressure
Coughing, especially if you produce mucus or phlegm.
Difficulty breathing or taking a deep breath.
Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
Even if you don’t have symptoms, your healthcare provider may order a pulmonary function test as part of a routine physical examination.
PFTs also help your healthcare provider:
Detect narrowing in your lungs’ airways.
Measure the effects of continued smoking on chronic pulmonary diseases.
Decide if medications may help improve your breathing.
Understand if exposure to substances in your environment has affected your lungs.
Determine your ability to tolerate surgery or other medical procedures.
What should I expect during Pulmonary Function Testing?
After recording your information, your healthcare provider will take you to a room with PFT equipment and give you instructions according to your test.
Spirometry
A healthcare provider will first put soft clips on your nose. The nose clips ensure that you breathe through your mouth, not your nose.
You’ll put your lips around a mouthpiece, and the mouthpiece connects to a spirometer. The provider will then give you directions on breathing in and out.
You may take deep breaths in and out. You may also take deep breaths in and blow out as hard and as fast as you can.
Body Plethysmography
A healthcare provider will put on your nose clips, and you’ll sit in the clear box. Your provider will close the door. The door remains closed for about five minutes.
Tell the healthcare provider if you’re uncomfortable in confined spaces (claustrophobic). They can help you feel more comfortable during the test.
You’ll put your lips around the mouthpiece, and the provider will give you directions on breathing in and out.
As you breathe, the spirometer will detect pressure or volume changes in the box to help measure your lung volume.
Gas Diffusion Study
Your healthcare provider will put on your nose clips.
You’ll put your lips around the mouthpiece, and a healthcare provider will give you directions on breathing in and out a small, safe amount of carbon monoxide.
As you breathe, the spirometer measures how much carbon monoxide you exhale. This measurement indicates how much of the gas your lungs absorbed.
6 Minute Walk Test
What is a 6 Minute Walk Test?
The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a simple, functional exercise test preformed in office. It is used to assess a patient’s overall cardiopulmonary fitness and endurance. It involves walking at a comfortable pace for six minutes on a flat surface. Throughout the test, the technician monitors the patient’s vital signs and observes for any signs of distress. It can help determine the severity of conditions like COPD, heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension, and track changes in disease progression.
Home Sleep Study
What is a Home Sleep Study?
A home sleep study, also known as an at-home sleep test, is a non-invasive way to monitor your sleep patterns and assess for potential sleep apnea from the comfort of your own bed. It involves wearing a small, portable device that records various sleep metrics, such as breathing, heart rate, and oxygen levels, while you sleep. Home sleep studies are primarily used to detect OSA, a condition where your airway gets blocked during sleep, causing breathing to stop and start repeatedly.
