Our pulmonary team will give you specific instructions to prepare you for your pulmonary function test, but for best results do not eat a heavy meal before PFT and refrain from smoking for 4 to 6 hours before the test. Gas exchange tests measure how well your lungs deliver oxygen to the bloodstream and remove carbon dioxide from it. Flow rates evaluate the air flowing in and out of your lungs. Lung capacity is the amount of air you take in during a deep breath. Lung volume is the amount of air you inhale during normal breathing. PFTs are non-invasive tests that measure lung volume, capacity, rate of flow, and gas exchange. They also help doctors understand how well your lungs move oxygen and other gases in and out of your body. Pulmonary function tests determine how well your lungs take in and release air. PFTs can also help doctors evaluate the effectiveness of treatment for asthma, emphysema and other chronic breathing problems. Our pulmonologists perform PFTs to check lung function before surgery or surgical procedures, particularly for patients with heart or lung problems, who are smokers or who have other conditions. Scleroderma, a connective tissue disorder that thickens and scars lung tissue.Sarcoidosis, a disease that causes lumps of inflammatory cells around the lungs.Tumors, inflammation or scarring of the chest wall.Scoliosis, which is curvature of the spine.Asbestosis, a lung disease caused by inhaling asbestos fibers.Chronic lung conditions, such as asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema.Breathing problems resulting from an injury to the chest or a recent surgery.A PFT can also help diagnose a health problem, such as: Your doctor may recommend a pulmonary function test, or PFT, as part of a routine physical exam. Pulmonary function tests can help your doctor determine the source of a breathing problem, to see how your condition is progressing or to evaluate the effectiveness of a treatment. The phrase ‘pulmonary function test’ is an umbrella term for a group of tests that measure how well your lungs work. Our physician team uses the PulmOne MiniBox™, an innovative measurement device for lung volumes and spirometry.

Pulmonary function test locations