Abstract
Absorption of gas from alveoli is examined in a simplified model of the respiratory system during a stylized single breath consisting of constant inspiratory flow, constant expiratory flow, and breathholding. The equations describing gas behavior are general since they are based upon conservation of mass. The equations simplify considerably when gases that are not soluble in pulmonary tissue and/or blood are utilized. In a three-compartment model, diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (D CO ) will be underestimated except when both uneven distribution of lung volume andD CO are present; under most circumstances, the standard clinical 10-s method [9] is at least as accurate as any other. When pulmonary capillary blood flow\((\dot Q_c )\) is calculated by the one point method [2] in a one-compartment lung, it is underestimated; in the three-compartment model, it is underestimated except when both uneven distribution of\(\dot Q_c \). and lung volume are present. The multiple single breath method [2] accurately measuresD CO and\(\dot Q_c \). Measurement of pulmonary tissue volume is improved by correcting the value of the intercept of acetylene absorption to the time when carbon monoxide apparently began rather than utilizing the beginning of inspiration.
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Abbreviations
- D CO :
-
diffusing capacity of the lung for CO (ml CO, STPD/min/mm Hg)
- \(\dot Q_c \) :
-
pulmonary capillary blood flow rate (L/min)
- V t :
-
pulmonary tissue volume (L)
- V A :
-
alveolar compartment volume (L)
- V Ao :
-
alveolar compartment volume at conclusion of inspiratory flow (L)
- \(\dot V_I \) :
-
inspiratory flow rate (L/sec)
- \(\dot V_E \) :
-
expiratory flow rate (L/sec)
- \(\alpha _t \left[ {\frac{L}{{1000ml}}} \right]\) :
-
Bunsen coefficient of pulmonary tissue for test gas (ml test gas/ml tissue/atm)
- \(\alpha _b \left[ {\frac{L}{{1000ml}}} \right]\left[ {\frac{{60sec}}{{min}}} \right]\) :
-
Bunsen coefficient of pulmonary tissue for test gas (ml test gas/ml blood/atm)
- F A :
-
fractional pressure of test gas in the alveolar compartment (atm)
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Martonen, T.B., Wilson, A.F. Theoretical basis of single breath gas absorption tests. J. Math. Biology 14, 203–220 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01832845
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01832845