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DLCO 40%predicted fev normal severe emphysema?? what does this really mean
Hello!
It's a bit scrambled but firstly DLCO (also known as TLCO) means the efficiency with which oxygen passes from the lungs into the blood. If you have something like emphysema or COPD this would be reduced.
FEV means "forced expiratory volume" and is expressed as a % of predicted normal. So it appears that your FEV is 40% of what a person the same age and height as you, but with healthy lungs, would have. This puts you in the "severe category", though there are many other factors to take into account and you may not actually feel that your breathing is severely affected.
My advice is always ask your dr to explain what these things mean. I always insist on an explanation of anything I don't understand and have never met a dr who has refused to answer my questions.
take care
thanks for the reply but no my gas transfer is 40% of predicted but my fev is at 98%normal the specialist says i have severe emphysema with a loss of 60% lung surface area
The DLCO is also important in determining lung function. When the DLCO is diminished, this indicates that gas exchange is impaired. Conditions such as emphysema and blood clots in the lung can reduce the area of lung that is available for gas exchange, which therefore reduces DLCO.
Pulmonary fibrosis and other diseases that cause a thickening of the lung tissue may also reduce DLCO. Although anemia may also diminish DLCO, because the blood itself has a lower oxygen-carrying capacity, it has nothing to do with lung functioning.
asthma.about.com/lw/Health-...
Thanks zoee for the reply I understand what DLCO means but I cannot find any info for people with emphysema but who have no obstruction whatsoever. I test normal on spectrometry 98% but my DLCO is at 40% and my scan shows severe emphysema but i do not seem to fit with any of the gold standard valuation. I have a chronic obstructive lung disease but no obstruction? and even my doctor does not seem to know what my prognosis is
have you seen a consultant - GPs are general practitioners and we will sometimes need specific specialist expertise.
yes it was the consultant who gave me this diagnosis,my GP is really good there just isn't much in the way of guidelines,I may have emphysema as a result of another condition(sarcoidosis) and so have no airway obstruction,i must take this as a good sign as I can still do most things(with the possible exception of mountain climbing or long distance running) so look after myself keep fit and hope for the best!
Great that you are pretty fit then. and sure the exercise you do will be helping. Hope you get more understanding soon. BLF helpline also good for info. seems to me there is such a range of severity and symptoms of COPD of whatever kind, and they vary all the time in the same person too.
Let's just plan a day at a time in order to live well the longest life possible - ...for some on this blog they have definitely far far outlived expectations. when I hear about reduced lung capacity, I often think of a pal who decades ago lost a lung and is still so fit ! 
