Spirometry

Spiro - from the Greek for ‘breathing. Metry –measurement.

SPIROMETRY – the measurement of breathing.
• The measurement of the flow and
volume of air entering and leaving
the lungs.
• Volume: records the amount of air exhaled or
inhaled within a certain time
• Flow: measures how fast the air flows in or out
as the volume of air inhaled or exhaled
increases.
• Spirometry can be used to measure pulmonary
(lung) functions.
 Lung diseases
✔ Lung disease is often divided into two categories

• Obstructive Disorders • Restrictive Disorders

– Characterized by a limitation – Characterized by reduced
of expiratory airflow so that lung volumes/decreased lung
airways cannot empty as compliance
rapidly compared to normal Examples:
(such as through narrowed – tuberculosis
airways from bronchospasm, – Silicosis (lung fibrosis caused by
inflammation, etc….) the inhalation of dust containing
Examples: silica.)
– Asthma (airways narrow and swell – Obesity (cause mechanical
and produce extra mucus).
– Emphysema (air sacs of the lungs are
compression of the diaphragm )
damaged and enlarged, causing
breathlessness)
 Pulmonary Function Testing
Normal values dependent upon:
▪ Individual variation according to age, height, ethnicity and
gender
- Height - Tall people have larger lungs
- Age - Respiratory function declines with age
- Sex - Lung volumes smaller in females
- Race - Studies show Blacks and Asians have smaller lung
volumes (-12%)
 Pulmonary Function Tests
• Lung volumes and Capacities
– Tidal Volume : 500ml
– Inspiratory Reserve Volume(IRV): 3000ml
– Expiratory Reserve Volume(ERV): 1000ml
– Functional residual capacity(FRC): ERV+RV =2200ml
– Total lung capacity(TLC): 5700-6000ml
– Residual volume(RV): 1200ml
– Vital Capacity(VC): Tv+IRV+ERV=4500ml
 Types of Spirometers
• Small hand-held spirometers:
Inexpensive and quick to use but
no print out
✔ Tidal Volume: volume of air inspired & expired with each normal
breath. Normal TV is approximately 500 ml
✔ Inspiratory Reserve Volume :Additional volume that can be
inspired above tidal volume . Normal IRV is approximately 3000
ml
✔Expiratory Reserve Volume :Additional volume that can be expired
below tidal volume . Normal ERV is approximately 1000 ml
✔ Residual Volume :the volume of air remaining in the lungs after
forced expiration . Normal R.V is approximately 1200 ml can not
be measured with spirometry
✔ Functional Residual Capacity:Is R.V+ ERV. Normal FRC is
approximately 2200 ml. can not be measured with spirometry
✔ Vital Capacity: Is IRV+TV+ ERV. Normal VC is approximately
4500 ml .
✔ Total lung Capacity:Is VC+RV. Normal TLC is approximately 5700
ml. Is the maximum volume to which lungs can be expanded with
greatest possible efforts. can not be measured with spirometry
 Equations Volume (liters) Definition Volume/Capacity

Volume/Capacity Definition Volume (liters) Equations

Amount of air inhaled

Tidal volume (TV) 0.5 –
during a normal breath
Amount of air that can be
Expiratory reserve volume
exhaled after a normal 1.2 –
(ERV)
exhalation

Amount of air that can be

Inspiratory reserve volume
further inhaled after a 3.1 –
(IRV)
normal inhalation
Air left in the lungs after a
Residual volume (RV) 1.2 –
forced exhalation

Maximum amount of air

that can be moved in or out
Vital capacity (VC) 4.8 ERV+TV+IRV
of the lungs in a single
respiratory cycle

Volume of air that can be

Inspiratory capacity (IC) inhaled in addition to a 3.6 TV+IRV
normal exhalation
Functional residual Volume of air remaining
2.4 ERV+RV
capacity (FRC) after a normal exhalation
Total volume of air in the
Total lung capacity (TLC) lungs after a maximal 6.0 RV+ERV+TV+IRV
inspiration