AdventHealth Medical Group Pulmonology at Shawnee Mission

A pulmonary function test, or PFT, is a series of three separate tests. Each test tells the provider something different about how your lungs are working. You will be asked to perform several different breathing maneuvers while breathing in and out through a mouthpiece. A Respiratory Therapist will guide you through the whole process and ensure that the provider gets the information they need. You may find some of the maneuvers challenging, but PFTs give the provider a lot of information and are extremely helpful in diagnosing and managing lung disease.

A spirometry test, or Spiro, is our most common test. It measures the flows coming in and out of your lungs. We often have our patients perform this test each time they are seen in our office. Our providers compare these results to prior tests in order to assess the progression of a patient’s lung disease.

We will ask you to perform a six-minute walk test, or exercise oximetry, when your provider wants to assess your oxygenation levels with exercise. You will be asked to walk around for up to six minutes while a staff member keeps track of your oxygen levels. You can stop to rest or stop the test completely at any time if it is too difficult for you to complete a full six minutes. If your oxygen levels dip below a certain level, the staff member will place you on oxygen. This test is used to qualify patients for oxygen or to assess if a patient already on oxygen is at the correct level.