Measure of the transfer of gas from the lung to red blood cells
Diffusing capacity
MeSH
D011653
Other codes
CPT: 94720
Diffusing capacity of the lung (DL) (also known as Transfer factor) measures the transfer of gas from air in the lung, to the red blood cells in lung blood vessels. It is part of a comprehensive series of pulmonary function tests to determine the overall ability of the lung to transport gas into and out of the blood. DL, especially DLCO, is reduced in certain diseases of the lung and heart. DLCO measurement has been standardized according to a position paper[1] by a task force of the European Respiratory and American Thoracic Societies.
In respiratory physiology, the diffusing capacity has a long history of great utility, representing conductance of gas across the alveolar-capillary membrane and also takes into account factors affecting the behaviour of a given gas with hemoglobin.[citation needed]
The term may be considered a misnomer as it represents neither diffusion nor a capacity (as it is typically measured under submaximal conditions) nor capacitance. In addition, gas transport is only diffusion limited in extreme cases, such as for oxygen uptake at very low ambient oxygen or very high pulmonary blood flow.[citation needed]
The diffusing capacity does not directly measure the primary cause of hypoxemia, or low blood oxygen, namely mismatch of ventilation to perfusion:[2]
Not all pulmonary arterial blood goes to areas of the lung where gas exchange can occur (the anatomic or physiologic shunts), and this poorly oxygenated blood rejoins the well oxygenated blood from healthy lung in the pulmonary vein. Together, the mixture has less oxygen than that blood from the healthy lung alone, and so is hypoxemic.
Similarly, not all inspired air goes to areas of the lung where gas exchange can occur (the anatomic and the physiological dead spaces), and so is wasted.
^Macintyre N, Crapo RO, Viegi G, et al. (2005). "Standardisation of the single-breath determination of carbon monoxide uptake in the lung". Eur Respir J. 26 (4): 720–35. doi:10.1183/09031936.05.00034905. PMID 16204605. S2CID 18177228.
^West, J. 2011. Respiratory Physiology: The Essentials. 9e. ISBN 978-1-60913-640-6
and 22 Related for: Diffusing capacity information
Diffusingcapacity of the lung (DL) (also known as Transfer factor) measures the transfer of gas from air in the lung, to the red blood cells in lung blood...
DLCO or TLCO (diffusingcapacity or transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (CO),) is the extent to which oxygen passes from the air sacs of the...
needed] Total lung capacity (TLC) is the maximum volume of air present in the lungs.[medical citation needed] Diffusingcapacity (or DLCO) is the carbon...
neuromuscular disorders.[citation needed] Measurement of the single-breath diffusingcapacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) is a fast and safe tool in the evaluation...
means that oxygen less readily diffuses into the bloodstream. In response to higher altitude, the body's diffusingcapacity increases in order to process...
heat transfer analysis, thermal diffusivity is the thermal conductivity divided by density and specific heat capacity at constant pressure. It is a measure...
aging changes of the lungs, and cause a slight decrease in their diffusingcapacity. The presence of multiple pulmonary cysts may indicate a need to evaluate...
University of Copenhagen Known for Cooperative binding Dead space Diffusingcapacity Bohr effect Bohr equation Spouse Ellen Bohr (married 1881) Children...
than 80% of predicted. People with COPD also exhibit a decrease in diffusingcapacity of the lung for carbon monoxide due to decreased surface area in the...
needed to diagnose bronchiolitis obliterans, including spirometry, diffusingcapacity of the lung tests (DLCO), lung volume tests, chest X-rays, high-resolution...
the effectiveness of ventilation at the lungs' alveoli, given the diffusingcapacity of the gas. It is a good indicator of respiratory function and the...
is restrictive or obstructive. Another test is that of the lung's diffusingcapacity – this is a measure of the transfer of gas from air to the blood in...
than 7.45 this is respiratory alkalosis. Alveolar-arterial gradient Diffusingcapacity Pulmonary alveolus Dugdale DC, Zieve D. Gasometría arterial. Medline...
lung function test may interfere with the results. Single-breath diffusingcapacity can help differentiate asthma from COPD. It is reasonable to perform...
that the lungs can hold (vital capacity) and changes in expiratory function and lung elasticity. Lung diffusingcapacity decreases leading eventually to...
for him: Krogh length, the distance between capillaries which nutrients diffuse to, based on cellular consumption of the nutrients. Krogh's principle,...
reflects the difficulty encountered in inflating the fibrotic lungs. The diffusingcapacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) is invariably reduced in IPF and may be...
increased residual volume, increased total lung capacity, fixed obstruction, low diffusingcapacity of the lung for carbon monoxide that corrects with...
received cyclosporine they displayed improved diffusingcapacity for carbon monoxide and forced vital capacity. A 1999 study reported that tacrolimus successfully...
The volumetric heat capacity of a material is the heat capacity of a sample of the substance divided by the volume of the sample. It is the amount of...
Lung function should be monitored via Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) or Carbon Monoxide DiffusingCapacity (DLCO) tests to determine patients risk of developing...
Global Information