Pulmonary function tests (also called PFTs or breathing tests) evaluate how well your lungs work.  They help determine how much air your lungs can hold, how quickly you can move air in and out of your lungs, how deep of a breath you can take, and how well oxygen diffuses in and out of your lungs.  They provide your physician needed information to help diagnose disease, measure the severity of lung problems, recommend treatments, and follow your progress.

A PFT is performed to:

       Evaluate how well your lungs and airways function

       Diagnose certain lung disease, such as asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

       Evaluate a patient's lung function before surgery.

Most insurance carriers, Medicare and Medicaid cover the cost of your PFT.