Lung Function Test Facilities

Lung Function Test Facilities

At St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside we provide facilities for the diagnosis and assessment of a variety of
respiratory conditions, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, Interstitial Lung
Disease (ILD), sarcoidosis and others.

Spirometry and Flow-Volume Loop tests are regularly performed using our state of the art, gold standard SpiroAir device from Ascencia/Medisoft, Belgium.

Static Lung Volume tests are also performed using either Helium-dilution or Body-box (plethysmograph) techniques.

Our facilities also provide testing for the rate of carbon monoxide uptake (KCO) and alveolar volume (VA) for the assessment of Gas Transfer (DLCO). This test is used in the assessment of lung diseases such as emphysema and pulmonary fibrosis.

All equipment is maintained to the high standards of accuracy, precision and hygiene set by the American Thoracic Society (ATS) & European Respiratory Society (ERS) guidelines.

Lab Request Form

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Indications for Respiratory Function Testing (RFT)

1. Asthma assessment (including Mannitol Challenge for pre-employment Occupational Assessment).

2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) diagnosis and assessment.

3. Interstitial Lung Disease assessment (including Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis [IPF] and Sarcoidosis).

4. Pre-operative risk assessment and diagnosis (e.g. before cardio-thoracic surgery, bariatric surgery or upper abdominal surgery in patients with chronic lung disease).

5. Neuro-muscular disease assessment to establish likelihood of respiratory muscle weakness leading to low oxygen saturation during sleep.

6. Cardiovascular disease assessment for diagnosis of causes of breathlessness and monitoring of lung function on cardiac medication (e.g. beta-blockers, amiodarone and ACE-inhibitors).

7. Monitoring of lung function whilst undergoing therapy which may cause lung injury (e.g. chemotherapy such as Bleomycin, immunosuppressive therapy such as Methotrexate).

8. Medico-legal assessment for diagnosis and measurement of Impairment (e.g. occupational lung diseases such as asbestos-related conditions or Disability Pension assessments).