Instrumentation for spirometry.

Abstract

In addition to improvements in spirometry instrumentation, the availability and quality of mechanical pump-testing equipment have also improved. These devices have largely relied on the ATS 24 standard waveforms and appear to simulate human FVC maneuvers reasonably well, at least with respect to testing using room air. Testing using mechanical pumps filled with heated and humidified air to better simulate the human FVC maneuver is still evolving. With the availability of these testing devices, many problems in both spirometric hardware and software can be identified and corrected. Perhaps the two most significant emerging advancements in spirometry instrumentation are the automated test acceptability and reproducibility assessments with immediate feedback to the technician and the development of small portable spirometers. At least two major studies (LHS8 and NHANES12) have described a second generation of comprehensive on-line assessment of test quality with immediate feedback to the spirometry technician. The use of quality assessment software appears to significantly improve the quality of the spirometry data through feedback to technicians. Spirometry hardware is also advancing as several hand-held devices are being developed to measure not only peak flow but also FEV1, FVC, and other parameters. These battery-powered portable spirometers will continue to decrease in size and cost and may eventually displace the hand-held peak flow meters in current use.