PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - F. de Jongh
TI  - Spirometers
DP  - 2008 Mar 01
TA  - Breathe
PG  - 251--254
VI  - 4
IP  - 3
4099  - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/4/3/251.short
4100  - http://breathe.ersjournals.com/content/4/3/251.full
SO  - breathe2008 Mar 01; 4
AB  - Educational aims To outline the characteristics of currently available types of spirometer. To explain the requirements a spirometer should fulfil. Summary There are many spirometers on the market. They can be divided roughly into a group that primarily measures volume and a group that primarily measures flow. Quality control and calibration should be performed on a regular basis to ensure that a device (still) functions appropriately. The types have different characteristics and are optimal for different circumstances (from a simple peak-flow meter to monitor asthma at home to an ultrasonic device to measure a patient in a pulmonary function lab). In this article, the characteristics of the currently available spirometers are discussed, as well as the requirements they should fulfil.