Pulmonary Function Lab at GBMC

Pulmonary function tests are used:

• To help diagnose and evaluate lung disease
• To determine the appropriateness and effectiveness of new and current treatments
• To measure how severely the lung is damaged

In addition, pulmonary function tests are important to assess the health of a person's lungs before chest surgery. 

There are two general types of pulmonary function tests:

• Ventilation tests
• Arterial blood gas studies

Before having a ventilation type of pulmonary function test, it is best to avoid the following activities:

• Eating a heavy meal or solid food for four to six hours
• Smoking for four hours
• Exercising for four hours

In addition, unless advised to do so by your doctor, you should not take any medication for four hours before the test.

Services Offered: 

All services must be scheduled in advance, 24 hr notice is requested for outpatients.

• Pre-op evaluation
• Spirometry pre/post bronchodilator
• Thoracic gas volume (VTG) (Lung Volume Testing)
• Diffusing capacity (DLCO)
• Maximum voluntary ventilation
• Arterial blood gases with and without exercise
• Flow-volume curves pre/post bronchodilator
• Oximetry
• Walking oximetry
• Peak flow rates (PEFR)
• Airway resistance
• Negative Inspiratory Force (NIF)