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What Does My PFT Test Report Indicate?
Question: Good Evening,
I had a PFT test as it was suspected I had sarcoidosis. Thankfully i do not as my chest CT was unremarkable. I also had an echocardiogram which was unremarkable. On PFT's my spirometry was normal however my dlco was slightly low at 71% of predicted. the dlco/AV was normal at 82% of predicted. is there something I need to be concerned about? the doctor said my tests were normal and didn't need follow up. I just saw this and it says this is a sign of pulmonary hypertension?
I had a PFT test as it was suspected I had sarcoidosis. Thankfully i do not as my chest CT was unremarkable. I also had an echocardiogram which was unremarkable. On PFT's my spirometry was normal however my dlco was slightly low at 71% of predicted. the dlco/AV was normal at 82% of predicted. is there something I need to be concerned about? the doctor said my tests were normal and didn't need follow up. I just saw this and it says this is a sign of pulmonary hypertension?
Brief Answer:
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on HealthcareMagic.
I can understand your concern.
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension as your 2D echo is normal.
No need to worry for slightly low DLCO.
Do deep breathing exercises, yoga, and pranayama.
Please quit smoking if you are a smoker.
Please let me know-
1. Do you smoke?
2. Do you have any respiratory symptoms (a cough, any breathlessness)?
Please revert back with these answers so that I can guide you better.
I'll be happy to help you further. Wish you good health.
Thanks.
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on HealthcareMagic.
I can understand your concern.
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension as your 2D echo is normal.
No need to worry for slightly low DLCO.
Do deep breathing exercises, yoga, and pranayama.
Please quit smoking if you are a smoker.
Please let me know-
1. Do you smoke?
2. Do you have any respiratory symptoms (a cough, any breathlessness)?
Please revert back with these answers so that I can guide you better.
I'll be happy to help you further. Wish you good health.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
i am a 36 year old male. I quit smoking 4 years.
Brief Answer:
What about respiratory symptoms?
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for following up,
I can understand your concern.
So you were a smoker in the past.
What about respiratory symptoms?
Do you have any respiratory symptoms like a cough, chest congestion, breathlessness etc?
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
What about respiratory symptoms?
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for following up,
I can understand your concern.
So you were a smoker in the past.
What about respiratory symptoms?
Do you have any respiratory symptoms like a cough, chest congestion, breathlessness etc?
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
no. do not have any of these symptoms. both of my kids were sick with viral infections. Is it possibly that although I am asymptomatic it skewed results?
Brief Answer:
Yes, asymptomatic smokers can show some abnormalities in PFT.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question,
I can understand your concern.
Yes, the asymptomatic patient can have abnormal spirometry especially when they have a smoking habit.
In fact, I am surprised by the diagnosis made on spirometry report.
Spirometry report will tell you only whether you have obstructive lung disease or restrictive lung disease or mixed disease.
But in no ways, it directly tells you that you have suspected sarcoidosis.
This is strange for me.
Smokers are more prone for small Airway obstruction in early stages.
So can you please send me pictures of your spirometry graph and report?
This will be of great help.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Yes, asymptomatic smokers can show some abnormalities in PFT.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question,
I can understand your concern.
Yes, the asymptomatic patient can have abnormal spirometry especially when they have a smoking habit.
In fact, I am surprised by the diagnosis made on spirometry report.
Spirometry report will tell you only whether you have obstructive lung disease or restrictive lung disease or mixed disease.
But in no ways, it directly tells you that you have suspected sarcoidosis.
This is strange for me.
Smokers are more prone for small Airway obstruction in early stages.
So can you please send me pictures of your spirometry graph and report?
This will be of great help.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health. Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
sorry they thought I had sarcoidosis. had mild hypercalcemia that resolved. they did chest ct along with pft and echo as part of the assessment. the chest ct was unremarkable. I attached the results from.my portal.
Brief Answer:
No need to worry about sarcoidosis or other lung diseases.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through the reports you have attached.
No need to worry about sarcoidosis or other lung diseases.
Have they found cause for hypercalcemia?
Why did you worry about pulmonary hypertension?
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
No need to worry about sarcoidosis or other lung diseases.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question on HealthcareMagic.
I have gone through the reports you have attached.
No need to worry about sarcoidosis or other lung diseases.
Have they found cause for hypercalcemia?
Why did you worry about pulmonary hypertension?
I will be happy to help you further.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
yes they believe the high calcium is due to elevated 1,25 d related to my crohns disease. I read that a low dlco is a sign of pulmonary hypertension.
Brief Answer:
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question.
I can understand your concern.
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
PFT is an effort dependent test. So results of PFT should always be correlated with clinical symptoms, physical examination and other supportive tests like CT, Echocardiography etc.
2D echo is much more accurate and reliable for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension.
Since 2D echo is normal, no need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
Hope I have solved your query.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
If you are not having further queries, then you may please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question.
I can understand your concern.
No need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
PFT is an effort dependent test. So results of PFT should always be correlated with clinical symptoms, physical examination and other supportive tests like CT, Echocardiography etc.
2D echo is much more accurate and reliable for the diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension.
Since 2D echo is normal, no need to worry for pulmonary hypertension.
Hope I have solved your query.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
If you are not having further queries, then you may please close the conversation and rate my answer.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
do you think I need to have the dlco part of the test repeated or am I okay?
Brief Answer:
No need for repeat DLCO.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question,
I can understand your concern.
No need to repeat DLCO part.
In future, if you develop any respiratory symptoms like a cough, breathlessness then repeat PFT is indicated otherwise no need for repeat PFT or DLCO.
Hope I have solved your query.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
No need for repeat DLCO.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow-up question,
I can understand your concern.
No need to repeat DLCO part.
In future, if you develop any respiratory symptoms like a cough, breathlessness then repeat PFT is indicated otherwise no need for repeat PFT or DLCO.
Hope I have solved your query.
You can ask me directly on bit.ly/askdrkaushalbhavsar.
Wish you good health.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Answered by
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