How to read a pulmonary function test report
Oct 26, 2023
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Li Jingli
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, a pulmonary function test report should be evaluated based on indicators such as forced vital capacity, maximum voluntary ventilation, vital capacity, residual volume, and total lung capacity. Forced vital capacity (FVC) refers to the total volume of air exhaled forcefully and as quickly as possible after a maximal inhalation to total lung capacity. The normal range for males is (3179 ± 117) ml, and for females, it is (2314 ± 48) ml.
Under normal circumstances, a pulmonary function test report should be evaluated based on indicators such as forced vital capacity, maximum voluntary ventilation, vital capacity, residual volume, and total lung capacity. The specific analysis is as follows:
1. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC): Denoted by "FVC," this refers to the total volume of air exhaled forcefully and as quickly as possible after a maximal inhalation to total lung capacity. The normal range for adult males is (3179 ± 117) ml, and for females it is (2314 ± 48) ml.
2. Maximum Voluntary Ventilation (MVV): Represented by "MVV," this indicates the maximum volume of gas inhaled or exhaled per minute during deep and rapid breathing at the widest possible respiratory amplitude and fastest breathing rate. The normal range for adult males is (104 ± 2.71) L/min, and for adult females it is (82.5 ± 2.17) L/min.
3. Vital Capacity (VC): Denoted by "VC," this typically refers to the volume of air that can be exhaled maximally after a maximal inhalation. The average value for adult males is 3500 ml, and for adult females it is 2500 ml.
4. Residual Volume (RV): Represented by "FRC" (Functional Residual Capacity), this usually refers to the amount of air remaining in the lungs after a normal expiration. However, note that FRC actually includes both expiratory reserve volume and residual volume; residual volume itself is normally about 1200 ml in adult males and 1100 ml in adult females. (Note: The original text appears to have errors here—values listed as 0.307, 0.29, and 0.50 seem inconsistent with standard units for residual volume and may refer to ratios or percentages instead.)
5. Total Lung Capacity (TLC): Denoted by "TLC," this refers to the total volume of gas the lungs can hold after a maximal deep inhalation, including both vital capacity and residual volume. The normal range for adult males is approximately 5020 ml, and for adult females it is around 3460 ml.
In addition to the above indicators, other parameters such as tidal volume and expiratory reserve volume are also important. It is recommended to comprehensively evaluate all indices to assess the clinical condition accurately.
