Spirometry is a lung function test that measures how much and how quickly you can move air out of your lungs. It is used to diagnose asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and certain other conditions that affect breathing.   If you have a chronic lung condition, spirometry may also be used to check how well your lungs are working once you have received treatment.

Spirometry Facts:

• It confirms the presence of airway obstruction
• If confirms the diagnosis of COPD
• It provides an accurate index of disease severity
• It helps differentiate asthma from COPD
• It enables monitoring of disease progression and helps assess response to therapy
• It aids in predicting prognosis and long-term survival

The test is quick and simple!  The patient breathes into a mouthpicece that is connected to the spirometer; the instrument records both the amount and rate of air that is exhaled and inhaled over a specified time.

Source:  http://www.goldcopd.org