Pulmonary Function Testing
At St. Peter’s Health Partners, pulmonary function testing is part of our holistic approach to diagnosing, treating, and managing complex diseases.
What is Pulmonary Function Testing?
This group of tests evaluates your lungs’ ability to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. You may need testing to diagnose lung diseases such as asthma. If you have advanced heart disease, pulmonary function testing helps detect and assess complications affecting the lungs.
Why Choose St. Peter's Health Partners for Your Pulmonary Testing?
St. Peter’s Health Partners is home to a dedicated pulmonary function lab. Licensed respiratory therapists conduct testing in locations close to home. We offer standard and advanced options.
Looking For Test Results?
View test results once they are uploaded by your doctor.
We offer tests that are not widely available in the Capital Region,
including hydrogen breath testing.
This information helps our care teams tailor services to your circumstances.
Our Advanced Pulmonary Function Tests Include:
- Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide measures levels of nitric oxide gas when you exhale. It helps determine asthma severity and lets doctors know whether treatments are working.
- Hydrogen Breath Testing checks for bacterial overgrowths and certain food intolerances. It uses a breath sample to determine whether hydrogen and methane levels are within normal ranges.
- Lung Volume Test measures how much air the lungs can hold. While wearing a nose clip and mouthpiece, you sit in a special box that’s about the size of a small shower stall. You then breathe rapidly, making it possible to measure small pressure changes inside the box.
- Methacholine Challenge helps confirm or rule out asthma in people with breathing problems. You inhale doses of methacholine, a drug that affects the airways, and then complete a breathing test.
Our Standard Pulmonary Function Tests Include:
- A six-minute walk test evaluates your exercise capacity by measuring how far you can walk on a treadmill in six minutes. This test enables our outpatient cardiopulmonary rehabilitation team to determine the appropriate level of exercise for your needs.
- Arterial blood gas uses a blood sample to measure oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other gases. We use this test to assess how efficiently the body adds oxygen into the blood and eliminates carbon dioxide from the lungs.
- Spirometry measures the speed and volume of the air you inhale and exhale. You breathe into a tube connected to special technology that measures airflow. This test helps evaluate asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Take the Next Step
Call 1-800-HEART-76 (1-800-432-7876) to find a heart specialist or learn more about cardiovascular care at St. Peter’s Health Partners.