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Yashoda Hospitals Successfully Conducted the 1st National Conference on Pulmonary Function Testing, PFT Summit 2023

Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad inaugurated the “Largest Pulmonology Centre with the Most Advanced PFT Lab” in South India.

Yashoda Hospitals successfully conducted a 2-day national conference on pulmonary function testing, PFT Summit 2023, where over 500 pulmonologists attended from all over India. The largest pulmonology center with the most advanced PFT lab in South India was also inaugurated today at Yashoda Hospitals, Hitec City.

Speaking on the occasion, Director of Yashoda Hospitals, Dr. Pavan Gorukanti, said, “PFT Summit 2023 is an educational initiative. With advances in technology, several new equipments for pulmonary function testing have been introduced over the last decade. A good-quality test needs a good technician who can perform the test well and a knowledgeable clinician who can interpret the results of the test. Because of lack of access to these tests at training centers, many pulmonologists are not confident in performing and interpreting these PFTs.”

“With an aim of increasing awareness and increasing knowledge about these PFTs, we have organized this two-day masterclass on pulmonary function testing at Yashoda Hospitals in Hitec City on March 4th and 5th”, says Dr. V. Nagarjuna Maturu, Senior Consultant at the department of pulmonology. More than 500 pulmonologists from across the country have participated in the two-day masterclass and mastered the techniques for performing the PFT procedures.

During the two days, more than 10 different types of PFT equipment were displayed. Knowledge on the technical standards of performing the test and skills to interpret the tests were taught to the delegates. Some of the esteemed national faculty who delivered lectures include Prof. Randeep Guleria (New Delhi), Prof. Deepak Talwar (New Delhi), Prof. S K Chhabra (New Delhi), Prof. Sundeep Salvi (Pune), Dr. Richa Gupta (Vellore), Dr. Atri G (Ranchi), and Dr. Arjun P (Trivandrum).

“Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) are a group of tests that assess the various functions of the human lungs. Several different PFTs are now commercially available. These tests are done on a daily basis at pulmonology centers to diagnose lung diseases, assess the response to therapies, monitor the progression of disease, prognosticate about the disease, and also as a part of pre-surgery evaluation. These tests have become a routine and an essential part of clinical pulmonology,” said Dr. Pavan Gorukanti, Director of Yashoda Hospitals, on the occasion of the concluding ceremony of the 1st National Conference on Pulmonary Function Testing today.

ADVANCED PULMONARY FUNCTION TESTING CENTRE INAUGURATION:

The Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Yashoda Hospitals in Hitec City also inaugurated its state-of-the-art “PFT Center” on March 5. “With nine different equipments available for use, this center is the largest PFT center in South India. Various tests that are available at the center include spirometry, oscillometry (impulse and forced techniques), FENO and DLCO estimation, body plethysmography, the 6-minute walk test, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and muscle strength estimation,” says Dr. V. Nagarjuna Maturu. “The department also has well-trained PFT technicians who are well-trained in performing these tests. We hope that this state-of-the-art facility will benefit the people of our states.”

TYPES OF PFT EQUIPMENTS:

Spirometry is the most basic PFT and is performed at several hospitals and laboratories. It can only assess the vital capacity of the lungs. To assess the function of smaller airways, a newer technique called oscillometry is used. This can identify abnormalities even before they can be picked up by conventional spirometry.

Diffusion Capacity Estimation (DLCO) is another PFT which assesses the abilities of lungs to perform gas exchange. It is decreased in diseases which damage the airsacs (alveoli) or the interstitium (layer between the airsacs and the blood vessels). Similarly, Body plethysmography is a tool which will assess the volumes of the lungs. It is important to assess lung volumes both to diagnose certain lung diseases and also as a part of pre-lung transplant evaluation.

Other tests such as the SIx-Minute Walk Test and the Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET), assess the overall ability of a person to perform exercise. Both of these tests are used to monitor the progression of disease and for pre-surgery evaluation. There are also other tests to measure the strength of respiratory muscles and to assess airway inflammation (FENO).