Airway Oscillometry

During normal tidal breathing, oscillometry measures the mechanical properties of the lungs like upper and lower airways, lung tissue and chest wall. It can be used where routine clinical tests cannot be used like in young children, elderly patients and in those patients who are on mechanical ventilation.

. Oscillometry is a non invasive test. Oscillometry may be useful in diagnosing asthma in patients with normal spirometry as a more sensitive indicator of abnormal airway physiology. It can be useful in evaluating bronchodilator responsiveness and in predicting treatment response in asthma.

It is useful in early detection of the adverse effects of smoking before Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD] is diagnosed and in categorisation of COPD severity.

Oscillometry is especially useful in early detection of patients with small airway diseases. Other situations wherein it is being studied are in detection and monitoring of lung function among people exposed to various environmental or occupational irritants , restrictive lung diseases and sleep apnea etc.