BME 310 Lab 8 Spirometry, John G.

Webster 3/21/00

Introduction

Spirometry is the measurement of gas passing through the airway opening. Spirometry is only
one of several pulmonary function (PF) tests, but it is by far the most frequently used and easily
administered of the PF test battery. It is suggested that spirometry become as routine as the
measurement of blood pressure in order to detect chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Spirometry measures two basic lung characteristics: lung volume and airflow rate. Lung
volumes are determined in spirometry by measuring the vital capacity using a maneuver which
can be forced (FVC) or done slowly (SVC). Other maneuvers like the flow–volume loop (which
is useful for detecting upper airway obstruction) and the maximal voluntary ventilation maneuver
are also used by pulmonary specialists.

Before the lab: Read material about spirometry from J. G. Webster (ed.), Bioinstrumentation,
Chapter 9.1 to 9.3 at the coursepage http://www.engr.wisc.edu/cgi/courses/list/bme/310/webster/
Text figure 9.5 shows a flow-resistance pneumotachometer. Flow through the pneumatic
resistance causes a pressure drop, which is measured with a differential pressure sensor. Flow is
integrated to yield volume. The pneumotachometer-based spirometer is more convenient to use
than the water sealed spirometer in Figure 9.2.
We can measure slow vital capacity (SVC) to determine restrictive diseases related to
expanding the volume of the lung, such as emphysema and weakness of the intercostal muscles.
Forced vital capacity (FVC) measures how fast you can empty the lungs and if too slow,
indicates narrowed obstructed airways as in diseases such as asthma. FEV1 is the volume of air
exhaled in the first second.
Maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) requires maximum ventilatory effort for a period
of 12 to 15 s. See Chapter 9, page 3.

Laboratory Equipment

1. Burdick PRESTO Spirometer.

2. Handheld Flow Sensor.
3. Noseclips.
4. Mouthpieces.
5. Power cord and sensor cable.
6. User's manual.
7. 3.0 liter calibration syringe (shared)

Burdick PRESTO is a portable, microprocessor-based spirometer designed specifically for in-

office spirometry testing. It is a versatile, robust instrument, which incorporates features such as
handheld flow sensor, incentive display, maneuver acceptability and reproducibility checks,
calculation of test results, user selectable predicted normals and graphs, etc.

Procedure

 Getting started (Refer to p. 13 to 14 of the user's manual).

1. Spend a few minutes going through the terminology list in p. 63 to 64.
2. Check your workbench and make sure the parts and accessories are complete.
3. Learn to load the printer paper (p. 13). Get familiar with the functional keyboard (p. 14).
BME 310 Lab 8 Spirometry, John G. Webster 3/21/00

4. Unscrew the 4 bolts, lift the top, and take out the pneumotachometer. Look through it and
identify the wire screens that form the pneumatic resistance. Identify the differential pressure
sensor ports. Reassemble.

 Performing tests
1. Some time during the lab period when the calibrator syringe is not in use by others, calibrate
following the steps on p. 15.
2. Follow the instructions in p. 17 of the manual and input the patient demographic info.
3. Perform FVC (Refer to p. 20 to 22). The patient inhales maximally, and then blasts the air
out as quickly and as completely as possible.
4. Repeat the test two times. Print your results (Please READ p. 29, "Chapter 5 - Printing
Results" before printing.)
5. Determine the FEV1(the volume of air exhaled during the first second) from the FVC
printout.
6. Interpret your FVC results. Check p. 31 to 33 for reference. Include in your results section.
7. Perform Flow–Volume Loop maneuver (Refer to p. 23 to 24). The procedure is similar to
the FVC, but requires the subject to inhale maximally through the flow sensor following the
FVC maneuver.
8. Repeat the test two times. Print your results.
9. Interpret your FVC results. Check p. 36 for reference. Include in your results section.
10. Perform SVC maneuver (Refer to p. 26). The only difference between SVC and FVC is that
the former is not forced. The subject is instructed to inhale maximally and then exhale
completely at a slow and steady rate.
11. Repeat the test two times. Print your results.
12. Perform MVV maneuver (Refer to pg. 25). This requires maximal ventilatory effort for a
period of 12 to 15 s. The subject is instructed to breathe in and out as rapidly and deeply
as possible for the entire test period, simulating the breathing pattern used during strenuous
exercise.
13. Repeat the test two times. Print your results.
14. Interpret your FVC results. Check pg. 37 for reference. Include in your results section.

Results
1. Explain the meaning of the FVC curve.
2. In step 5, calculate the ratio of FEV1/FVC. For a patient who suffers obstructive airway
diseases, state if this ratio will be larger or smaller than normal. Explain why. Also in this
plot determine the peak expiratory flow rate (PEF), the highest instantaneous flow during an
FVC maneuver. Note that PEF is useful for judging the subject’s effort at blowing out
forcefully.
3. From SVC, estimate the vital capacity and compare it with that in FVC. State under which
maneuver the vital capacity is larger. Explain why.
4. Explain how adding the spirometer increases dead space and affects breathing.