Respiratory Laboratory
How Can We Help You
Our pulmonary function laboratory provides specialised breathing tests to help understand how well your lungs are working.
Your doctor may refer you to us to investigate symptoms such as breathlessness, cough and wheeze, or to monitor known conditions like COPD, asthma, interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, neuromuscular disease, or to assess your lung reserve before any planned treatment. Your results will help your healthcare team make accurate diagnoses, assess disease severity, plan treatment, and monitor your progress over time.
Our respiratory scientists will guide you through each step of the test in a safe and supportive environment. Please refer to the Pre-Test Information – Pulmonary Function Testing fact sheet for instructions to follow prior to your lung function test, and the Contraindications for Pulmonary Function Testing fact sheet for reasons why tests may be unable to be performed. If you do not meet the pre-test instructions your test may be re-scheduled. Talk to your referring doctor if you have any concerns about undergoing your lung function assessment. You can also contact us if you have any concerns ahead of your lung function assessment.
Preliminary results may be available on the day of your test upon request.
Core Lung Function Testing
- Spirometry: This test measures the volume and speed of air you can forcefully exhale to determine how well your airways are functioning.
- Lung Volumes (Body Plethysmography): While seated in a specialised glass cabin, you will perform breathing manoeuvres to measure the total capacity of your lungs, including air that remains after exhaling.
- Diffusion Capacity (DLCO): This assessment determines how effectively your lungs transfer oxygen from the air you breathe into your bloodstream.
Specialty Lung Function Assessment
- FeNO (Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide): This test measures the level of nitric oxide in your breath, which serves as a marker for allergic-type inflammation in the airways.
- Bronchial Provocation Testing (Mannitol): You will inhale a specific powder in increasing doses to determine if your airways are overly sensitive or prone to narrowing.
- Respiratory Muscle Strength Testing: This procedure evaluates the power of the muscles used for breathing by measuring the maximum pressure you can generate against a mouthpiece.
- 6-Minute Walk Test with Peripheral Pulse Oximetry: This supervised walk monitors your heart rate and oxygen levels to assess your functional mobility and physical endurance.
Medical Director, Lung Function
Dr Yizhong Zheng
Head of Department, Respiratory
Dr Veronica Yozghatlian
Scientific Director
Mr Jay Flack
Scientific Officer
Ms Krystal Bowen
Lung Function Reporting Physicians
Dr Nicole Hersch
Dr Steven Lindstrom
Dr Ajantha Raguparan
Dr Alexandra Smith
You will need a lung function request form from your local General Practitioner (GP) or Specialty Doctor to use these services.
Please ask them to write you a detailed referral letter. This should contain:
- General referral information: relevant history and examination, past medical history, up to date medication list
- Any previous results if available
We will then send you a letter in the post / email with the details of your appointment date, time and location. If an appointment cannot be made, we will send you a letter confirming that you are on the outpatient waiting list for the next available appointment. Please let us know if your address and/or phone number changes.
If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please telephone 02 9113 2325 or email SESLHD-STG-RespiratoryandSleep@health.nsw.gov.au
- Current Medicare card (all testing is bulk billed in patients with Medicare) or Veteran Affairs card
- Any Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card
- Insurer details (workers compensation, public liability or third party)
- Recent results and reports, if applicable
- List of medications and any inhalers that you are on
- Activities to keep you entertained while waiting (for example, a book, music player with headphones, crosswords)
Please let us know if you need an interpreter.
You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.
We are a teaching hospital and student doctors or nurses may be involved and supervised by senior staff during your visit. You have the right to say no. If you do so, this will not impact in any way on the services we will provide.
Administration Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Respiratory Function Testing:
Monday to Wednesday
St George Hospital
Ground Floor, Prince William Wing
Corner of Kensington Street & Belgrave Street
KOGARAH NSW 2217