LUNG VOLUMES

By
dr. Mila Citrawati, M.Biomed
 Mechanics of Respiration
 Inspiration is an active process :
- Contraction of inspiratory muscles increases
intrathoracic volume
- Intrapleural pressure decreases to about [-]6
mmHg
- Lungs are pulled into more expanded
position
- Airway pressure slightly negative so, air
flows into lungs
 Mechanics of Respiration
 Expiration during quiet breathing is passive:
- At the end of inspiration the lung recoil
begins to pull the chest back to expiratory
position, where the recoil pressure of the lungs
and chest wall balance
- Airway pressure slightly positive, and air
flows out of the lungs
 Lung Volumes
 Tidal Volume : The amount of air that moves
into lungs with each inspiration [or the amount
that moves out with each expiration]  500 ml

 Inspiratory Reserve Volume : The air inspired

with a maximal inspiratory effort in excess of
the TV  3000 ml
 Lung Volumes
 Expiratory Reserve Volume : The volume
expelled by an active expiratory effort after
passive expiration  1200 ml

 Residual Volume : The air left in the lungs

after a maximal expiratory effort [avoiding
collaps of the lungs]  1200 ml = FRC - ERV
 Lung Capacity
 Inspiratory Capacity : IRV + TV  3500 ml
 Functional Residual Capacity : ERV + RV 
2400 ml
 Vital Capacity : The largest amount of air that
can be expired after a maximal inspiratory
effort, is frequently measured as an index of
pulmonary function  4700 ml
 Total Lung Capacity : TV + IRV + ERV + RV
 5900 ml
 Vital Capacity
 VC : The largest amount of air that can be expired
after a maximal inspiratory effort. It gives useful
information about the strength of respiratory muscles
and other aspects of pulmonary function

 FEV1 = FEV 1“ = timed vital capacity : Forced

expiratory volume in 1 sec  normal = 80% FVC

 FVC [forced vital capacity] : Maximal inspiration

followed by maximal exhale as fast as possible
 Respiratory Dead Space
 Respiratory dead space : The space in the
conducting zone of airways occupied by gas
that does not exchange with blood in the
pulmonary vessels. It plays no role in
removing CO2 from the body or adding O2.
However, dead space is important in
humidification of inspired gas and in
temperature conservation. Dead space volume
can be estimated as 1 ml/lb body weight. For
an avarage 70 kg man, VD = 70 x 2,2 x 1 ~
150 ml
 Anatomical dead space : The volume of gas in
conducting airways which do not participate in
gas exchange  150 ml
 Physiological dead space : The volume of gas
that does not exchange with blood and include
anatomical dead space and the gas in alveoli
that does not exchange with blood [because
blood flow is not match with airflow in
alveoli]  ~ anatomical dead space
 Alterations of Lung Volumes in
Disease

 Obstructive lung disease : TLC increased

above the predicted value, VC is decreased,
and RV and FRV are both markedly increased

 Restrictive lung disease : VC reduced, marked

reduction in TLC, RV, and FRC
 Ventilation
 Pulmonary ventilation : The amount of air
inspired per minute [respiratory minute
volume]  500 ml/breath x 12 breaths/min =
6L
 Alveolar ventilation [VA]: The amount of
incoming air that actually enters the alveoli per
minute [not part of anatomical dead space] 
breathing rate x (TV – physiological dead
space) = 12 x (500 – 150) = 4200 ml
Pathologic factors affecting alveolar
ventilation and dead space
 Alveolar hyperventilation  increased
inspired CO2  stimulation of the
chemoreceptors with increased ventilation.

 Hyperventilation can also occur with anxiety

and at high altitudes, where the low O2 tension
leads to hypoxic stimulation of peripheral
chemoreceptors
 Alveolar hypoventilation  can occur in a
number of situations [ diseases of CNS, drugs,
weakness or paralysis of respiratory muscles,
and breathing through high resistance airway
with resultant respiratory muscle fatigue ] 
resulting in CO2 retention [ commonly occur in
COPD ]

 An increase in physiologic dead space is

commonly encountered in patients with
chronic obstructive lung disease, pulmonary
emboli also cause an increase in the
physiologic dead space
 Differences in Ventilation in
Different Parts of the Lung
 In upright position, ventilation per unit lung
volume is greater at the base of the lung than
that at the apex. The reason for this is that at
the start of inspiration, intrapleural pressure is
less negative at the base than at the apex, and
since the intrapulmonary-intrapleural pressure
difference is less than at the apex, the lung is
less expanded
 Because of the stiffness of the lung, the
increase in lung volume per unit increase in
pressure is less when the lung is initially more
expanded, and ventilation is consequently
greater at the base

 Blood flow is also greater at the base than the

apex

 The ventilation differences from apex to the

base of the lung affect by gravity and other
unknown factors
BELAJAR

YA!
Study
hard,
ya!