lung and airway disorders
Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT)
Diffusing capacity measurement
A diffusing capacity test can estimate how efficiently oxygen is transferred from the air sacs of the lungs (alveoli) to the bloodstream. Because the diffusing capacity of oxygen is difficult to measure directly, a person inhales a small amount of carbon monoxide, holds the breath for 10 seconds, and then exhales into a carbon monoxide detector. If the test shows that carbon monoxide is not well absorbed, oxygen will not be exchanged normally between the lungs and the bloodstream either. The diffusing capacity is characteristically abnormal in people with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis , in those with disorders affecting the blood vessels of the lungs, and in some people with 