The background
Get off to a running start. Here, you’ll cover the historical basis of pulmonary function testing, and the principal tests used in the assessment of known or suspected lung disease.
- The background intro
- Reviewing key historical milestones
- Identifying indications for pulmonary function testing
- Recognizing pulmonary function test categories
The basic techniques
In this chapter, you’ll review important techniques used in measuring various aspects of lung function, including airflow, lung volumes, and changes in lung volumes.
- The basic techniques intro
- Appreciating testing ingenuity
- Measuring lung volume using helium dilution
- Using body plethysmography
- Appreciating differences between various methods
Evaluating the lungs at rest
Understand the static mechanical properties of the respiratory system. In this chapter, you’ll go deep into the relationship between volume and pressure at times of no airflow.
- Evaluating the lungs at rest intro
- Measuring respiratory system compliance
- Measuring static lung compliance
- Measuring static chest wall compliance
Assessing breathing
Here, you’ll concentrate on the relationships between pressure, flow, and volume during inspiration and expiration, and how to use these measurements to detect disease.
- Assessing breathing intro
- Measuring forced vital capacities
- Measuring maximal voluntary ventilation
- Assessing airway resistance and conductance
- Detecting airway inflammation
Challenging the airways
In this chapter, you’ll learn how to use various challenge tests to detect subtle disorders of respiratory function, such as cough-variant asthma or exercise-induced asthma.
- Challenging the airways intro
- Performing the methacholine challenge test
- Using the exercise test
- Administering the inhalation challenge test
- Taking precautions with bronchoprovocation testing
Checking small airways function
Take the road less travelled. Learn about less commonly used tests that can help you detect subtle disorders of respiratory function, such as disease isolated to the small airways.
- Checking small airways function intro
- Measuring dynamic compliance
- Interpreting helium-oxygen flow volume curves
- Using the nitrogen washout test
Analyzing gas exchange
Here, you’ll learn how to analyze factors that determine the efficiency of gas transfer, particularly oxygen, across the alveolar-capillary membrane, and the test methods used.
- Analyzing gas exchange intro
- Mastering the physiology of ventilation
- Analyzing alveolar gas composition
- Measuring diffusing capacity
Using specialized lung function tests
Learn how to use additional pulmonary function tests, such as (HAST), the six-minute walk test, and testing respiratory responses to high carbon dioxide / low oxygen levels.
- Using specialized lung function tests intro
- Using the high altitude simulation test (HAST)
- Evaluating ventilatory responses to hypoxemia and hypercapnia
- Performing the six-minute walk test
Diagnosing respiratory disorders
Here, you’ll learn how to interpret patterns of pulmonary function test abnormalities, and cover important guidelines issued by American and European professional societies.
- Diagnosing respiratory disorders intro
- Interpreting abnormal patterns
- Adhering to interpretation guidelines
- Assessing physiological determinants
Practicing your skills
Breathe a sigh of relief as you finish off strong. Wrap up the course with a recommended algorithm, and clinical cases where you can practice your interpretation skills.
- Practicing your skills intro
- Applying the recommended algorithm
- Pulmonary Function Testing Essentials outro