Spirometry will support a diagnosis of lung disease or a condition which impairs the action of a healthy lung, such as a neuromuscular or musculoskeletal disease. However, as with the majority of lung function tests, spirometry is not pathognomonic of any particular disease.
1. Baseline – to investigate lung function where a diagnosis has yet to be established
2. Monitoring – trend data will highlight deterioration, improvement or seasonal variability in a patients lung function
3. Bronchodilation – spirometry can be used to express a response to bronchodilator therapy or to potentially distinguish between COPD and asthma
Spirometry is generally requested by a clinician once they have taken the patients history and performed a physical examination. Blood tests and an x-ray of the chest may also be requested. To interpret the results confidently you should have a differential diagnosis or pre-test probability available.
Spirometry will ultimately support a diagnosis of the following groups:
COPD
asthma
bronchiectasis
bronchiolitis obliterans
cystic fibrosis
goitre
tracheomalacia
sleep apnoea
Pulmonary fibrosis
Cardiac disease
Granulamatous disease
Muscle weakness disorders
Skeletal disorders
Obesity
