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Full lung function tests (PFTs with gas transfer)
Category: Lung & Breathing Tests · All lung & breathing tests
What it is
Full pulmonary function tests extend spirometry with two more measurements: lung volumes (how much air the lungs hold, measured in a sealed booth or by gas dilution) and gas transfer (DLCO — how well oxygen passes from air into blood, measured with a breath-hold using a harmless trace gas mixture).
Why it is done
They give a complete picture when spirometry alone is not enough — for example in breathlessness of unclear cause, interstitial lung disease, emphysema assessment, monitoring lung disease progression, and evaluating fitness for lung surgery or treatments.
How to prepare
Preparation mirrors spirometry: possible inhaler withholding, no smoking beforehand, loose clothing. A small blood sample or fingerprick haemoglobin may be taken because anaemia affects the gas transfer reading. Tell the team about any recent procedures or infections.
What happens during the procedure
You perform spirometry-type blows, then pant gently against a shutter in a glass booth (for volumes), and a breath-hold manoeuvre after inhaling the test gas (for gas transfer). The full set takes about 30 to 45 minutes with coaching throughout.
Afterwards — recovery & results
Normal activities resume immediately. Your results are reported against predicted values and usually reviewed with you in clinic, often alongside scans, to form the diagnosis and monitoring baseline.
Risks & considerations
Risks are minimal — brief light-headedness or coughing with maximal efforts. The booth can feel enclosed; tell the technician if you are claustrophobic, as techniques can be adapted.
Watch: Full lung function tests (PFTs with gas transfer) videos
Real procedure videos from the MedicalVideos.com library. Some clinical footage is graphic — that is the nature of a medical video library.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
What does a low gas transfer mean?
It means oxygen crosses into the blood less efficiently — seen with emphysema (destroyed surface area), lung scarring, anaemia or blood vessel problems in the lungs. It is interpreted with the other numbers and your scans.
Why the booth?
Panting against a closed shutter in a sealed box lets the machine calculate total lung volume from pressure changes — including air trapped in the lungs that spirometry cannot measure.
Related procedures — Lung & Breathing Tests
Browse the F section of the A–Z list or return to the Procedures & Tests hub.