COMPUTERIZED, NONINVASIVE TESTS OF LUNG-FUNCTION - FLEXIBLE APPROACH USING MASS-SPECTROMETRY

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Abstract
The design, operation and some applications of a computerized pulmonary function testing system built around a mass spectrometer were described. The test sequence, performed in 10-20 min, included spirometry, a single-breath N2 washout and measurement of the diffusing capacity of the lung for CO. Secondary tests, an integral part of the sequence, included rebreathing estimates of lung volume and cardiac output and a breath-by-breath analysis of over-all gas exchange. These secondary tests led to computer modeling of a 1-compartment lung closely matched to the subject''s lungs. Differences between alveolar plateau slopes in the model and real lung provide information about the degree of ventilation-perfusion mismatch in the subject. This combination of tests will be useful in the early detection of lung disease.