Standardisation on the measurement of lung volumes. ATS and ERS Task Force on "Standardization of spirometry, lung volumes and diffusing capacity"

This section, mainly drafted by J. Wanger, J.L. Clausen, A. Coates and O.F. Pedersen, largely reflects a document that was produced after an international workshop held in 1990, funded by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). That document was very large and never published in full print, but those interested in all the details can find it posted on the ATS website [16]. In the new document, the relevant technical aspects and the limitations of the methods currently available for lung volume measurements are summarised in a user-friendly way. The position of lung volume measurements in the diagnosis of respiratory disorders and their cost-to-benefit ratio were probably the most controversial aspects of the Task Force.