Can a DLCO test be performed on patients with low lung volumes?

You can successfully perform DLCO tests on patients with low lung volumes if they can inspire at least 90% of their vital capacity within a 4-second window. For patients with a total vital capacity below 1.5 litres, we adjust the collection volume settings to capture a representative gas sample. Our team often recommends rapid-response analysers for these cases to ensure accuracy despite the smaller breath samples.