lung function

Lung function is the extent to which the lungs are able to breathe air in and out and absorb oxygen into the blood. This function is measured with a lung function test, in which a person breathes in and out of a device that records, among other things, the amount of air and the speed of exhalation. Doctors use this measurement to determine how well the lungs work and to monitor changes over time. In diseases that affect the lungs, such as lung fibrosis or COPD, lung function often provides a good picture of how far a disease has progressed. The word appears on this site because lung function testing is a standard part of monitoring in many chronic and incurable lung diseases.