PFT Test Price, Purpose, Graph & Sample Report [2024]

Dr Bhumika Rana Diagnostic Test

The Pulmonary function test (PFT Test) diagnoses and determines the normal functioning of the lungs. It is helpful in respiratory system infections and disease diagnosis. These respiratory system infections include wheezing and coughing. The word Pulmonary indicates “related to lungs”. These tests do not involve any cut or incision (non-invasive).

This test measures lung capacity, volume, gas exchanges, and flow rates. The result of these parameters diagnoses certain lung disorders. PFT Test price usually ranges from Rs 750 to Rs 1000 in India.

Test details in brief

Also known as	Spirometry test, PFT Test
Purpose	Lung function, Diagnosis of Respiratory system disorders.
Preparation	No alcohol 4 hours before the test.
Fasting	Avoid eating at least 2 hours before the test.
Reporting time	8 to 24 hours
Cost	Rs 750 to Rs 1000

Table indicating the PFT details.

PFT Test Cost

PFT or Spirometry test cost ranges from Rs 750 to Rs 1000 in India. However, the actual cost depends on the type of study, diagnostic centre and city. A few types of studies such as PFT with DLCO or PFT with diffusion can cost more because of their limited availability.

In this section, let us glance at the cost in different cities and popular diagnostic centres in India.

Prices in Popular Diagnostic Centres

The table below lists the PFT price for some of the popular diagnostic centres in India.

Diagnostic Centre	Price
Dr Lal pathlabs	Rs 1260
Metropolis Healthcare	Not Available
SRL Diagnostics	Not Available
Vijaya Diagnostics	Rs 1000
Apollo diagnostics (Available in Hospital)	Rs 1200
NM Medical	Rs 1100
Aarthi scans	Rs 700
Thyrocare Technologies	Not Available

Price in popular diagnostic centres.

City-wise PFT price

The PFT cost differs in different cities in India. Its usual range is from Rs 630 to Rs 2400. You can click on the city name below to get the list of diagnostic centres with costs and discounts.

City	Price (Rs)
PFT Cost in Delhi	Rs 650 to Rs 2400
PFT Cost in Gurgaon	Rs 630 to Rs 880
PFT Cost in Hyderabad	Rs 490 to Rs 760
PFT Cost in Bangalore	Rs 560 to Rs 630
PFT Cost in Mumbai	Rs 630 to Rs 1200
PFT Cost in Chennai	Rs 630

Price in popular cities.

Purposes of the PFT (Pulmonary Function Test)

In this section, we will discuss the purpose of PFT in diagnosing various respiratory disorders.

To measure the toxic effects of lung exposure to coal smoke, smog, aerosols, and toxins.
For determining the progress of respiratory disease: The progression of lung diseases like COPD, Asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.
To monitor the efficacy of treatment: With the help of PFT, we can understand the effectiveness of lung disease treatment.
Evaluate patients pre-operatively: It means preparing the patient before an operation.
Diagnosis of respiratory disease: Many respiratory diseases like cough, Cyanosis, Dyspnea and Wheezing. (These lung diseases are explained below).

When to get a PFT Test?

A doctor may suggest you this test if you have any of the following symptoms:

If a patient suffers from wheezing, coughing and other respiratory disorders symptoms for a long time.
To check the actual condition of the lungs before a lung or ribs surgery.
PFT test for children is really important as infants, and young children are more vulnerable to lung infection.
Workers employed in an air polluted or potentially hazardous environment. E.g., the workers in coal mining and metallurgy; and cement manufacturing industries.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: It is the scarring of the lungs and resistance to the breathing process.

Diseases requiring PFT Test

The PFT test is important if the patient suffers from one or more following lung diseases. Let us have a glance at these respiratory disorders.

Dyspnea: There is a shortness of breath and the feeling of suffocation in the dyspnea. In dyspnea, the patient feels suffocated and craves more oxygen.
Cyanosis: Cyanosis is the blue discolouration of skin, lips and fingertips. The cause of Cyanosis is the low oxygen-rich haemoglobin levels.
Emphysema: Our lungs have small air sacs known as alveoli. Emphysema is a condition of alveoli damage due to smoking.
Wheezing: It is the observation of high-pitched sounds during breathing or inhalation and exhalation. Causes of wheezing include asthma, pneumonia, and COPD.
Bronchitis: The bronchi means the inflammation of the bronchi (The gas delivering tubes to the lungs).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): Chronic means the existence and recurrence of a disease over a long time. Obstructive indicates resistance. Thus, COPD means problems with breathing over a long period.
COVID: The functioning of lungs in covid patients varies. The PFT is useful in determining lung conditions, especially in vulnerable age groups.
Asbestosis: It is a lung-damaging disease owing to human exposure to industrial use of asbestos (natural fibre-like minerals) in house construction.

Other Lung Tests and related terms

What are the other types of PFT?

There are the following types of PFT:

1. Gas Exchange test

This test aims to assess the limit of oxygen flowing from the lungs’ air sacs to the blood.

2. Lung volumes test

This test diagnoses asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. A plethysmograph machine is used for conducting this test.

3. The bronchial provocation test

Help diagnose asthma. During the procedure, the doctor gives airways narrowing substances to the patient. Then, the doctor asks the patient to take the spirometry test several times.

PFT Test graph and its interpretation

The PFT graph represents the PFT result, and it shows different types of lung volumes given below. For values and graphs, refer to the sample report at the end of the article.

Lung Volume

Tidal volume(TV): The volume of air inspired or expired with each normal breath at rest mode.
Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV): Maximum volume of gas that can be inspired above the tidal volume.
Expiratory reserve volume(ERV): The volume of air that can be expired after the expiration of the tidal volume.
Residual volume (RV): The air volume that remains in the lungs even after maximal exhalation.
Functional residual capacity (FRC): It is the sum of Expiratory reserve volume and Residual volume.
Vital capacity of forced vital capacity: The total volume that can be expired forcefully following a maximal inspiratory effort. It is the sum of IRV, TV and ERV.
Total lung capacity(TLC): Air volume in the lungs at maximal inspiration. It is the total of IRV, TV, ERV and RV.

What is Spirometry?

Spirometry is a commonly used PFT that assesses lung functioning. It measures the quick inhaled or exhaled air volume. It diagnoses COPD, asthma, and other breathing disorders.

What are the different measurements included in Spirometry?

In Spirometry, we measure The FEV1/FVC ratio. This ratio suggests the quantity of air a person can forcefully breathe out or exhale.
Forced expiratory volume (FEV). This is the amount of air a person can force from the lungs in one second time duration. It assesses the severity of breathing issues.
Forced vital capacity (FVC). This is the maximum forcefully exhalable amount of air after a deep breath. A lower than normal FVC reading indicates restricted breathing.

PFT v/s Spirometry

The PFT is a general term used for lung testing. There are different types of PFT. PFT measures all aspects of spirometry. Spirometry is a type of PFT that measures the rate of flow and volume.

What is PFT with reversibility test?

This test is also known as the bronchodilator reversibility (BDR) test. It determines lung functioning.

This test involves the use of a spirometer and a bronchodilator. And thus, known as the PFT BDR test.
A spirometer(PFT machine) is a lung function measuring device. It measures the rate of air being blown out or exhaled.
Bronchodilators are substances that dilate or relax the bronchi(a network of air supplying tubes to the alveoli).

What is diffusion capacity?

Diffusing capacity is the volume of carbon monoxide(CO) transferred from alveolar gas to blood in millilitres per minute divided by the value of the difference between mean alveolar-capillary carbon monoxide pressure and mean pulmonary capillary carbon monoxide pressure.

Diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO)

It is the second most common lung test after Spirometry.
This test is also known as PFT DLCO.
It is alternatively known as the transfer factor.
DLCO measures the ability of the lungs to deliver gas from inspired air to blood circulation.

What is another type of PFT?

HCRT

HCRT stands for the “High-resolution CT of the lungs”. As the name suggests, it involves a high-quality CT scan of the lungs. It examines the complete lung tissue damage with high precision.

It diagnoses acute and chronic lung disorders like Asbestosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary Function Test Risks

Pulmonary function tests are usually safe. However, the following Risks may occur in some patients:

Dizziness: It is also known as agitation. The feeling of head-spinning and imbalance of posture occurs in it.
Shortness of breath: The patients may struggle to catch their breath.
Coughing: The involuntary body response to eliminate the respiratory passage irritants.
An asthma attack: It is the sudden bronchoconstriction(a decrease in the diameter of the flexible tubes in the lungs)

When not to go for the PFT test?

Following are conditions in which the PFT test shall not be done

They had recent eye surgery.
If the patient recently had a belly or chest surgery.
Chest pain, a recent heart attack, or certain heart conditions
In the case of Active tuberculosis.

PFT Test Preparations

There are the following respiratory measures for PFT.

Avoid alcohol consumption at least 4 hours before the test.
Avoid uptake of a heavy meal at least 2 hours before the test.
Don’t do any physical workout at least 30 minutes before the test.

Procedure

The stepwise procedure of the Pulmonary function test is as follows:

Sit relaxed in a chair in an exam room
The doctor clips your nose to close both nostrils.
The doctor put a cup-like breathing mask around the mouth.
The patient takes a deep breath in, holds it for a few seconds, and exhales as hard as possible into the breathing mask.
Patients repeat this test three times to get consistent and variation-free test results.
Your doctor may give you a bronchodilator to relax your lungs in case of a breathing disorder.

PFT Test Result

Let us have a glance at the result of the PFT.

FVC result

For children aged five to eighteen years.

Forced vital capacity (FVC). This is the maximum forcefully exhalable amount of air after a deep breath. A lower than normal FVC reading indicates restricted breathing.

Ranges	Result
less than 80 per cent	Abnormal
more than 80 per cent	Normal

The FVC Result table (Source: physiopedia)

FEV1 result

For the Grownup adults.

Forced expiratory volume (FEV). This is the amount of air a person can force from the lungs in one second time duration. It assesses the severity of breathing issues.

Ranges	Result
Equal to or more than the lower limit of normal	Normal
Less than the lower limit of normal	Abnormal

The FEV1 Result table (Source: physiopedia)

FEV1/FVC ratio is a number that represents the percentage of your lung capacity you’re able to exhale in 1 second.

In the absence of restrictive lung disease that causes a normal or elevated FEV1/FVC ratio, the higher the percentage of your FEV1/FVC ratio, the healthier your lungs are.

Age	Low FEV1/FVC Ratio
5 to 18 years	Below 85 per cent
more than 18 years	Below 75 per cent

The FEV1/FVC ratio Result table (Source: physiopedia)

What abnormal results suggest?

Abnormal results may suggest that the patient suffers from one or more following conditions.

Asthma: It is explained earlier.
Chronic bronchitis: It is the acute to chronic inflammation of the bronchi.
Lung cancer: It is the uncontrolled growth of the lung tissue.
Scleroderma and sarcoidosis: It is the blood vessel narrowing without the actual lung inflammation and scarring.

Sample Report of PFT Test

Frequently asked questions

Is the PFT test painfully uncomfortable?

Lung function tests are non-invasive and generally painless.

What is the duration of the test?

The duration of a PFT test varies from 30 minutes to 90 minutes. However, it may take longer in some cases.

What is a respiratory allergy?

A respiratory allergy is sudden sneezing or coughing due to inhalation or food intake, causing a rapid immune response. The inhalants like deodorants, dust, mites, and plant pollen can cause it.

What foods should you avoid if you have a respiratory allergy?

If you have a respiratory allergy, you should not eat Milk, Soya, eggs, fish, peanuts and other dairy products.

How to Book PFT Test

References:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/pulmonary-function-tests
https://www.healthline.com/health/lung-diffusion-testing
https://www.physio-pedia.com/Pulmonary_Function_Test

Dr Bhumika Rana

Dr Bhumika Rana is a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery (B.A.M.S.). Earlier She was an Operation Specialist at AIIMS Delhi & a Medical officer with the National health mission.