Pulmonary Function Testing

The pulmonary lab at University of Utah Hospital conducts a full range pulmonary diagnostic testing. Your doctor will order the specific tests appropriate for your diagnosis and they will receive the results in approximately three business days.

• Spirometry (including bronchodilator responsiveness testing)
• Slow Vital Capacity
• Maximal Voluntary Ventilation
• Carbon Monoxide Diffusion Capacity
• Plethysmography/Lung Volume
• Single Breath Gas Dilution
• Maximal Inspiratory and Expiratory Pressure (MIP and MEP)
• Bronchial Challenge Testing (Methacholine and Exercise)
• Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
• Arterial Blood Gas Analysis
• Pulse Oximetry
• Right to Left Shunt
• Six Minute Walk Testing

Indications for Spirometry

• Detect the presence of disease
  • History of pulmonary symptoms
  • Physical indicators
  • Abnormal laboratory findings
• Needed to make the diagnosis of COPD
• Quantify the extent of known disease on lung function and the progression of pulmonary disease.
  Identifies people with a rapid decline in lung function
• Measure the effects of occupational or environmental exposure
• Determine the benefits or side effects of therapy
• Assess risk for surgical procedures
• Evaluate disability or impairment

Indications for Pre- and Post- Bronchodilator Tests

• Assess bronchodilator responsiveness
• Evaluation of alternative drug regimens in patients with known hyper-reactive airways.
• Disability determinations when FEV1 is less than the lower limit of normal.
• Preoperative evaluation when airway obstruction is present.

Indications for Spirometry

• Relative Contraindications:
  • Known or suspected adverse reactions to a specific bronchodilator
  • Unstable cardiovascular status that might be aggravated by beta adrenergic stimulation    

Indications for Single Breath Carbon Monoxide Diffusing Capacity (DLCO)

• Evaluation of diseases which involve lung parenchyma.
• Evaluation of emphysema.
• Differentiating between chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma.
• Evaluation of pulmonary involvement in systemic diseases.
• Evaluation of the pulmonary effects of chemotherapy agents or other drugs known to have pulmonary toxicity.
• Impairment/disability evaluation.

Indications for Lung Volumes

• Establish or confirm a diagnosis of "restrictive ventilatory defect."
• Aid in the interpretation of other lung function tests.
• Quantify the amount of nonventilated lung before lung volume reduction surgery.

Indications for Inspiratory and Expiratory Pressures (MIP and MEP)

• Assess and quantify the degree of respiratory muscle weakness in neuromuscular disease.
• MEP may help in determining the potential for effective cough and the ability to move secretions.
• Evaluate probability of successful weaning from a ventilator.
• Relative Contraindications:
  • Angina, recent MI, uncontrolled systemic hypertension.
  • Recent pneumothorax.
  • Lung biopsy within the previous week.

Indications for Methacholine Challenge Testing

• Diagnosis of asthma when clinical picture is confusing.
• Relative Contraindications:
  • FEV1 percent predicted <60%.
  • Pregnancy.
  • Nursing mothers.
  • Cholinesterase inhibitor medication.

Indications for Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing with Gas Exchange Measurement

• Evaluation of unexplained dyspnea.
• Determine exercise capacity and impairment.
• Differentiate between cardiac and pulmonary causes of dyspnea.
• Rehabilitation evaluation.
• Pre operative evaluation.
• Impairment/disability evaluation.

Indications for Arterial Blood Gas Analysis

• Evaluation of ventilation, acid base balance, and oxygenation.
• Quantification of a patient's response to oxygen therapy.
• Monitoring of disease process.

Indications for Six-Minute Walk Test

• Assess SpO2 at rest and with exertion in patients suspected of hypoxemia.
• Evaluate the symptom of dyspnea.
• Assess the degree of impairment.
• Evaluate therapeutic intervention.

Indications for Pulmonary Right to Left Shunt Testing

• Determine unexplained hypoxemia.
• Determine the extent of pulmonary A-V malformation involvement in known disease or suspected disease, e.g., HHT.