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Table 1 Available techniques for the assessment of bronchial airways by size (small versus large airways)

From: Small airway dysfunction and poor asthma control: a dangerous liaison

Method

Small airway function

Large airway function

Spirometry

FEF25–75%, FVC, FVC/SVC

FEV1, FEV1/FVC

Impulse oscillometry (IOS)

R5–R20, X5, AX, Fres

R20

Single breath nitrogen washout (SBNW) or Multiple breath nitrogen washout (MBNW) test

Slope phase III, CV, CC, Sacin, Scond

 

Body plethysmography

RV, RV/TLC

 

High resolution computerized tomography (HRCT)

Air trapping, airway wall thickness

Airway wall thickness

Nuclear medicine (Scintigrapy, SPECT, PET)

Regional ventilation defects

3He-MRI

Non-ventilated lung volume

Bronchoscopy

Transbronchial biopsy, BAL

Endobronchial biopsy

Sputum induction

Late phase sputum

Early phase sputum

Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO)

Alveolar eNO

Bronchial eNO

CT and computational fluid dynamics

Changes in airway volume and resistance

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