Anatomy › Help with Evaluation Methods for the Respiratory System
Which of the following is not typically used as part of a pulmonary function test (spirometric test)?
Laryngoscope
Tracer gas
Body plethysmograph
Nitrogen balloon or Nitro bulb
Inhaler
Pulmonary function tests or spirometric tests are tests designed to measure a host of breathing functions. Since values vary depending on body position, time of day, and other factors, most metrics have a high tolerance for variance and typically require a person to score below 80% or above 120% of their expected values before a result is considered "abnormal". These tests are most often employed diagnostically, but may also be used to check up on the progress of a treatment program.
A laryngoscope is used to view the larynx and epiglottis, but does not provide quantitative functional data.
Which of the following measurements is not typically taken during a pulmonary function test (spirometric test)?
Oxygen saturation (O2Sat)
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
Residual volume (RV)
Total lung capacity (TLC)
Forced expiratory flow
Spirometric tests typically measure between 10-20 metrics of respiratory health, including airflow, intake/outtake, and total volume. Oxygen saturation is a measure of the blood's ability to bond oxygen to hemoglobin, and is typically measured during one or more blood tests.
When one interprets images or performs a physical exam, what landmark can be used to determine the level of the carina (division point of trachea)?
T4/T5 intervertebral disk level
T5/T6 intervertebral disk level
Sternum
4th-5th intercostal space
None of these
The carina seems to be consistently located between the T4/T5 intervertebral disk level in most people. These vertebral levels are used as landmarks to identify the carina and, consequently, the trachea above it and the left and right primary bronchi below it.