Testing Procedures
At the Kauvery Lung Centre, we have the most up-to-date testing facilities and the medical experts to accurately evaluate the test results and prescribe the most effective treatments.
Quality-Assured Spirometry:
Spirometry is the most frequently used test to evaluate lung function. This is a noninvasive test typically done in the doctor’s office. You will be asked to sit in a chair and breathe into a tube attached to a machine called a spirometer. A clip will be placed on your nose so that all airflow is through the mouth. You will be given directions on how to breathe. The readings that the spirometer produces will be used to evaluate lung function. The term “quality assured spirometry” refers to the vital importance of performing the test according to published guidelines as an inadequately performed test cannot be interpreted. Kauvery Lung Centre’s spirometry is one of the few PFT labs which gives comments on your testing procedure according to ATS/ERS guidelines. It also includes having specialists interpret the results to accurately diagnose the nature of the lung ailment and prescribe the right treatment. If fact, the expertise to understand the spirometer readings are as, if not more, important that the results themselves. At the Kauvery Lung Center, we have unmatched expertise in the use of spirometers and evaluating the results.
DLco:
In addition to spirometry, your doctor may also require that a test for the Diffusing Capacity of the Lungs for Carbon Monoxide (DLco) be done. This is a noninvasive test to assess the capacity of the lungs to properly transfer inhaled air into the bloodstream. The test, usually done in the doctor’s office requires the patient to inhale air from a cylinder or tank that contains specified amounts of carbon monoxide and a special tracer gas. You will be asked to hold your breath for 10 seconds and then exhale as fast and as completely as possible into a mask that is connected to a machine that will show the amount of tracer gas in what you exhaled. The difference in the quantity of tracer gas inhaled and exhaled will show the lungs’ capacity to transfer air into the bloodstream. Here too expert evaluation of the results is crucial.
Broncho Provocation Testing:
This test is done to determine if a patient is suffering from asthma and other exposure-driven airway-reactive diseases. During the test, you will be asked to breathe in air that contains a measured amount of methacholine, a drug that can cause the narrowing of the airways. The test may be repeated with various amounts of methacholine. We also perform aspirin bronchoprovocation testing. If the test shows a 20% or greater decrease in your breathing ability, the existence of asthma or another bronchial condition is possible and other tests may be prescribed to confirm or refine the diagnosis before treatment is begun.
FeNO:
This test measures the amount of nitric oxide in your exhaled breath and gives us guidance on adjusting your inhaler dosing by either increasing it or reducing it in addition to your spirometry results. Also, patients on maximal inhaled medications with high FeNO can be treated by specific injections for asthma-like omalizumab, benralizumab, etc.
Nasal NO Testing:
We also screen for ciliary dyskinesias in patients with bronchiectasis by nasal NO testing
Six Minute Walk Test:
This is a basic test to measure your aerobic capacity. In other words, it is used to quantify the amount of oxygen your body can consume during a specified time in which you are. performing a prescribed exercise. In this case, your blood pressure, pulse rate and blood oxygen levels will be measured before you start the test. You will then be asked to walk at your normal pace for six minutes. Your blood pressure, pulse rate and blood oxygen are once again measured after you have walked for six minutes. The results will be measured against the average for those of your age group, gender and overall health status. The first test will establish a baseline of your pulmonary health. Future tests will show if it is improving or if the treatment protocols need to be changed.
Lung Oscillometry:
This is an advanced lung capacity test that is also possible in those who have difficulty breathing deeply during spirometry. The patient is asked to breathe through a tube connected to a machine that measures the airflow and amount of air inhaled and exhaled. The tests usually last for several minutes and the results are used to evaluate lung function and give vital information about your airways and lungs. Kauvery Lung Centre is one of the few hospitals in India providing this testing
Fitness to Fly Testing:
The air we normally breathe at sea level contains about 21% oxygen. The greater the altitude, the lower the oxygen content in the air. Airplane cabins are pressurized to about 8000 feet, irrespective of how high they fly. However, at 8000 feet, the oxygen level is about 15% and this causes the oxygen in the blood to drop. In most cases, this has no ill effect and is not even noticed. However, if you have a lung condition, the lower oxygen could cause health issues, some of them serious, during or even after the flight. All patients with chronic lung disease need this assessment before flying. In this test, your blood oxygenation level will first be measured and then you will be asked to breathe air with lower oxygen content. If after the test your blood oxygen levels are significantly lower or if you feel unwell, the doctor will advise you if you will need supplemental oxygen during the flight. If your oxygen levels do not change significantly, you should be fit to fly.
The process of breathing begins as soon as we are born and continues nonstop until our last breath. In the intervening years, the way our lungs function impact the quality of our lives. Age, disease, lifestyle, injury and pollution are some of the factors that affect our lung functioning and our overall health. The cutting-edge advanced pulmonary function testing available at the Kauvery Lung Centre coupled with the expert knowledge of respiratory physiology that the doctors have makes it the best place for both preemptive lung function testing and for measuring the progress of any treatment that a patient may be undergoing. The expertise to accurately evaluate the test results are as important as the quality of the tests themselves.