Читать книгу Respiratory Medicine - Stephen J. Bourke - Страница 74

Despite the bewildering array of sophisticated tests and investigations now available, a few, fairly basic tests of lung function remain central to clinical practice. Together with a good history, clinical examination and a chest X‐ray, these tests provide most of the information needed for diagnosis, quantification of severity and monitoring of disease.

This chapter covers all you will probably ever need to know about lung function. The tests are not difficult to understand, yet despite their simplicity, they are all too often misinterpreted or even misunderstood. Master the next few pages and you may find you acquire the status of ‘expert’ in whatever medical circle you move in.