RESPIRATORY VOLUMES AND

CAPACITIES
 Respiratory Volumes
• Used to assess a person’s respiratory status
Tidal volume (TV)
Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV)
Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)
Residual volume (RV)
• Tidal volume (TV) is the volume of air inspired
or expired during a normal quiet respiration
and it is about 500ml

• Inspiratory reserve volume (IRV) is the volume

of air inspired forcibly after a tidal inspiration
and is about 3000ml
• Expiratory reserve volume (ERV) is the volume
of air expired forcibly after tidal expiration and
is about 1100ml

• Residual volume (RV) is the volume of air

remaining in the lungs even after a forced
expiration and is about 1200ml
 Respiratory Capacities
• A capacity is a sum of two or more different
lung volumes
Inspiratory capacity (IC)
Functional residual capacity (FRC)
Total lung capacity (TLC)
Vital capacity (VC)
• Inspiratory capacity (IC) Maximum amount of
air that can be inspired after a normal
expiration
IC = TV + IRV = 500 + 3000 = 3500ml

• Functional residual capacity (FRC) is the

volume of air remaining in the lungs after a
normal expiration
FRC = RV + ERV = 1200 + 1100 = 2300ml
• Total lung capacity (TLC) is the maximum
volume of air present in the lungs after a
forced inspiration
TLC = IRV+TV+ERV+RV = 3000+500+1100+1200
= 6000ml

• Vital capacity (VC) is the volume of air expired

forcibly after a maximal inspiration
VC = TV+ERV+IRV = 500+1100+3000 = 4600ml
Spirogram is the graphical
recording of the lung volumes and
capacities

Inspiratory
reserve volume
3000 ml Inspiratory
capacity
3500 ml Vital Total lung
capacity capacity
4600 ml 6000 ml
Tidal volume 500 ml
Expiratory
reserve volume Functional
1100 ml residual
Residual volume capacity
1200 ml 2300 ml
 Pulmonary Function Tests
• Spirometer: instrument used to measure
respiratory volumes and capacities
• Spirometry can distinguish between
– Obstructive pulmonary disease—increased airway
resistance (e.g., bronchitis)
– Restrictive disorders—reduction in total lung
capacity due to structural or functional lung
changes (e.g., fibrosis or TB)
 Pulmonary Function Tests
• Increases in TLC, FRC, and RV may occur as a
result of obstructive disease
• Reduction in VC, TLC, FRC, and RV result from
restrictive disease
Thank you for your kind
attention