Concierge respiratory · London
Private pulmonary function tests in London, full lung physiology in one visit.
Full lung physiology — spirometry, lung volumes and DLCO — in one appointment, interpreted by a respiratory physician.
Why patients choose us
- 01
The right test, not the quick one
We match the study to your question — spirometry alone, full PFTs with DLCO, or PFTs with a consult.
- 02
Read by a respiratory physician
A consultant respiratory physician interprets your numbers against modern reference values — not just a machine printout.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What private pulmonary function tests cost in London.
Indicative ranges across our partner labs. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
Spirometry only in our network: £120–£240; full PFTs with DLCO £350–£700.
| Test | Indicative range | Typical duration | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spirometry only | £120–£240 | 20 min | Same visit |
| Full PFTs (spirometry + lung volumes + DLCO) | £350–£700 | 60 min | Same visit |
| PFTs + respiratory consult | £500–£1,000 | 90 min | Same visit |
| Reversibility testing (bronchodilator) | £180–£360 | 30 min | Same visit |
| Six-minute walk test | £150–£300 | 30 min | Same visit |
| Full PFTs + FeNO | £400–£800 | 60 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by lab, which studies are included, and whether a consultant review is arranged on the day. We come back with a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
Spirometry alone often isn’t enough.
Simple spirometry answers most asthma and COPD questions, but restrictive disease and early interstitial disease need lung volumes and DLCO. Matching the study to the question is the entire job. That is what we get right.
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Breathless with a normal spirometry?
Full PFTs with DLCO and lung volumes will pick up interstitial and vascular disease that spirometry misses.
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Suspected asthma?
We combine reversibility testing with FeNO for the highest diagnostic yield.
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Want a physician to read it?
We route to labs where a consultant respiratory physician reports it, not software alone.
The journey
From enquiry to report — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to explained result — fast for spirometry, a little longer for full PFTs with DLCO.
Phase 1 · Before your test
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
20–90 minutes at the lab
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Symptoms, timeline, referral or insurer if you have them.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: which test, which clinic, indicative price. If a test is not the right step, we say so.
- 03
Before
We arrange the appointment
Often same or next day, including evenings and Saturdays. Insurer pre-authorisation handled.
- 04
On the day
Arrival and preparation
You sit upright, a soft clip closes your nose, and a physiologist coaches you through each manoeuvre.
- 05
On the day
The tests
Spirometry alone takes 20 minutes; full PFTs with lung volumes and DLCO run about 60 minutes with rests between efforts.
- 06
On the day
Straight home
No recovery time. Drive, eat and work as normal.
- 07
After
Report and next steps
Consultant respiratory physician report in 24–72 hours, with onward referral where needed.
Typical end-to-end: 2–7 days. Urgent cases: same day.
What it shows
Find the test that matches your indication.
Respiratory symptoms differ enormously in pattern. These are the questions we are asked to answer most.
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Asthma
Reversibility on spirometry, supported by FeNO, confirms asthma and tracks control.
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COPD
Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below 0.70 confirms COPD; FEV1 grades severity.
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Restrictive lung disease
Reduced lung volumes with preserved ratio point to fibrosis, sarcoidosis or chest-wall disease.
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Interstitial lung disease
DLCO is the earliest and most sensitive marker of interstitial disease — often abnormal before spirometry.
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Pre-operative assessment
Quantifies lung reserve before major thoracic, upper GI or vascular surgery.
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Chronic breathlessness
Distinguishes obstructive from restrictive causes — the essential first branch in any workup.
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Occupational lung disease
Baseline and serial testing for workplace exposure — dust, isocyanates, welding fume.
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Red flags
Acute breathlessness or hypoxia is an emergency — call 999, not a PFT booking.
Lung tests
Not all lung tests are the same.
What each option on your referral is actually for.
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Spirometry only
The basic forced blow — FEV1, FVC and the ratio. Quick, cheap and answers most asthma and COPD questions.
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Full PFTs (VC + lung volumes + DLCO)
Body plethysmography for total lung capacity, plus gas transfer (DLCO) across the alveoli. The definitive lung physiology.
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+ respiratory consult
Full PFTs performed and then reviewed face-to-face with a consultant respiratory physician in the same visit.
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+ Reversibility testing
Repeat spirometry after inhaled salbutamol — the standard test for asthma reversibility.
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+ Six-minute walk
A functional measure of exercise tolerance and desaturation — useful in fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and COPD.
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+ FeNO
Exhaled nitric oxide — a marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation. Supports asthma diagnosis and steroid response.
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Cardiopulmonary exercise test
Integrated exercise study with ECG and gas analysis — the definitive test for unexplained exertional dyspnoea.
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Occupational lung panel
Serial PFTs, DLCO and where indicated bronchial challenge, for suspected workplace-related lung disease.
Our vetted London network
A small panel of labs, we picked them.
Partners across central, north, west and south London. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every lab in our network.
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Consultant respiratory physicians
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ARTP-accredited labs
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Full lung-volume plethysmography and DLCO
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Onward CPET or imaging pathway
Safety and eligibility
Painless, non-invasive — but effort-dependent.
Full PFTs are extremely safe. Good results depend on maximum effort, correct inhaler timing and clear pre-test instructions — all handled for you.
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No smoking 24 hrs before
Smoking affects DLCO and FeNO measurements — please avoid for 24 hours before your appointment.
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No heavy meal 2 hrs before
A full stomach is uncomfortable during forced blowing manoeuvres. Water and a light snack are fine.
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Continue routine bronchodilators only if instructed
We send exact instructions with your appointment — some inhalers are continued, others withheld.
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Avoid short-acting bronchodilators 4 hrs before if reversibility being tested
Short-acting inhalers are withheld before a reversibility test so the response can be measured properly.
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You’ll be asked for maximal effort
Good results depend on maximum effort. The physiologist coaches you through each attempt.
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Pregnancy is safe
Spirometry, PFTs and DLCO are safe in pregnancy.
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Pneumothorax or recent MI (<1 month) are contraindications
These are absolute contraindications to forced blowing — check with the ordering doctor before booking.
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Chest surgery within 3 months — check with the ordering doctor
Recent thoracic, abdominal or eye surgery may need PFTs to be deferred. We check before we book.
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Always share prior PFTs
Comparison with your previous results is often more informative than any single value in isolation.
Reading your report
A PFT report can look intimidating. It isn’t.
Whether it is spirometry alone or full PFTs with DLCO, the report keeps to the same four parts.
A quiet reminder
Normal numbers do not always mean nothing is wrong — the pattern matters as much as the values.
If you would like us to talk you through it before your follow-up, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and medications
Your details, current inhalers, which tests were performed and the clinical question they were meant to answer.
- 02 Technique
Which tests were done
Confirms which manoeuvres were performed — spirometry, lung volumes, DLCO — and their acceptability against ATS/ERS standards.
- 03 Findings
FEV1, FVC, TLC, DLCO
Each measurement compared with modern age, sex, height and ethnicity reference values — with percent predicted and z-scores.
- 04 Impression
Read this first — the conclusion
Normal, obstructive, restrictive or mixed — with severity, reversibility and clearly stated next steps.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover depends on your policy and lab; we confirm with your insurer before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about pulmonary function tests.
Quick answers on cost, referrals, inhaler timing, safety and results.
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What do full pulmonary function tests measure?
Full PFTs measure how much air your lungs can hold (lung volumes), how quickly you can move it (spirometry: FEV1, FVC), and how well oxygen passes from your alveoli into your blood (DLCO). Together they define the pattern — normal, obstructive, restrictive or mixed — and its severity.
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Spirometry versus full PFTs — what’s the difference?
Spirometry measures airflow and volume with a single forced blow. Full PFTs add body plethysmography for total lung capacity and gas transfer (DLCO). Spirometry answers most asthma and COPD questions; full PFTs are essential when restrictive disease, fibrosis or emphysema is suspected.
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What is DLCO and why does it matter?
DLCO measures how efficiently carbon monoxide crosses from the alveoli into the pulmonary capillaries — the gas-transfer step. It is the earliest and most sensitive marker of interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular disease and emphysema, and is often abnormal before spirometry changes.
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When should I stop my bronchodilator inhalers?
For a reversibility test, short-acting bronchodilators are withheld about 4 hours before and long-acting inhalers longer. For routine PFTs without reversibility, most inhalers are continued. We send exact instructions with your appointment.
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How much do private pulmonary function tests cost in London?
Spirometry alone is typically £120–£240; full PFTs with lung volumes and DLCO run £350–£700; PFTs with a same-visit consultant respiratory consult £500–£1,000. We confirm a firm figure within one working day.
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Do I need a referral?
Most PFT labs accept self-referral. We can arrange a fast-track private GP or respiratory physician if you would like the result interpreted in a consultation.
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Are pulmonary function tests safe in pregnancy?
Yes. Spirometry, lung volumes and DLCO are safe in pregnancy. Bronchial challenge testing is usually deferred until after delivery.
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How quickly will I get the results?
The physiologist reviews your traces on the day and flags anything urgent immediately. The formal consultant respiratory physician report is typically issued within 24–72 hours.
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What is FeNO and when is it added?
FeNO measures nitric oxide in your exhaled breath — a marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation. It is added to PFTs when asthma is suspected, to support diagnosis, predict steroid response and monitor control.
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When should I see a GP urgently instead of booking PFTs?
Sudden severe breathlessness, chest pain, blue lips, coughing up blood or oxygen saturations below 94% are emergencies — call 999 or attend A&E. PFTs are for stable, ongoing symptoms, not acute deterioration.
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