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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.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What private pulmonary function tests cost in London.

Indicative ranges across UK labs.

In short

£120–£240; full PFTs with DLCO £350–£700.

Test Indicative range
Spirometry only £120–£240
Full PFTs (spirometry + lung volumes + DLCO) £350–£700
PFTs + respiratory consult £500–£1,000
Reversibility testing (bronchodilator) £180–£360
Six-minute walk test £150–£300
Full PFTs + FeNO £400–£800

Prices vary by lab, which studies are included, and whether a consultant review is arranged on the 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 what matters.

  • Breathless with a normal spirometry?

    Full PFTs with DLCO and lung volumes will pick up interstitial and vascular disease that spirometry misses.

  • Suspected asthma?

    Reversibility testing is often combined with FeNO for the highest diagnostic yield.

  • Want a physician to read it?

    Look for labs where a consultant respiratory physician reports it, not software alone.

What it shows

Find the test that matches your indication.

Respiratory symptoms differ enormously in pattern. These are the questions most often asked.

  • Asthma

    Reversibility on spirometry, supported by FeNO, confirms asthma and tracks control.

  • COPD

    Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below 0.70 confirms COPD; FEV1 grades severity.

  • Restrictive lung disease

    Reduced lung volumes with preserved ratio point to fibrosis, sarcoidosis or chest-wall disease.

  • Interstitial lung disease

    DLCO is the earliest and most sensitive marker of interstitial disease - often abnormal before spirometry.

  • Pre-operative assessment

    Quantifies lung reserve before major thoracic, upper GI or vascular surgery.

  • Chronic breathlessness

    Distinguishes obstructive from restrictive causes - the essential first branch in any workup.

  • Occupational lung disease

    Baseline and serial testing for workplace exposure - dust, isocyanates, welding fume.

  • 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.

  • Spirometry only

    The basic forced blow - FEV1, FVC and the ratio. Quick, cheap and answers most asthma and COPD questions.

  • Full PFTs (VC + lung volumes + DLCO)

    Body plethysmography for total lung capacity, plus gas transfer (DLCO) across the alveoli. The definitive lung physiology.

  • + respiratory consult

    Full PFTs performed and then reviewed face-to-face with a consultant respiratory physician in the same visit.

  • + Reversibility testing

    Repeat spirometry after inhaled salbutamol - the standard test for asthma reversibility.

  • + Six-minute walk

    A functional measure of exercise tolerance and desaturation - useful in fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension and COPD.

  • + FeNO

    Exhaled nitric oxide - a marker of eosinophilic airway inflammation. Supports asthma diagnosis and steroid response.

  • Cardiopulmonary exercise test

    Integrated exercise study with ECG and gas analysis - the definitive test for unexplained exertional dyspnoea.

  • Occupational lung panel

    Serial PFTs, DLCO and where indicated bronchial challenge, for suspected workplace-related lung disease.

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.

  • No smoking 24 hrs before

    Smoking affects DLCO and FeNO measurements - please avoid for 24 hours before your appointment.

  • No heavy meal 2 hrs before

    A full stomach is uncomfortable during forced blowing manoeuvres. Water and a light snack are fine.

  • Continue routine bronchodilators only if instructed

    You should be sent exact instructions with your appointment - some inhalers are continued, others withheld.

  • 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.

  • You’ll be asked for maximal effort

    Good results depend on maximum effort. The physiologist coaches you through each attempt.

  • Pregnancy is safe

    Spirometry, PFTs and DLCO are safe in pregnancy.

  • Pneumothorax or recent MI (<1 month) are contraindications

    These are absolute contraindications to forced blowing - check with the ordering doctor before booking.

  • Chest surgery within 3 months - check with the ordering doctor

    Recent thoracic, abdominal or eye surgery may need PFTs to be deferred.

  • 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 UK consultant respiratory physician reviewing a pulmonary function report

A quiet reminder

Normal numbers do not always mean nothing is wrong - the pattern matters as much as the values.

If you would like it talked through before your follow-up, ask your respiratory physician or GP.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and medications

    Your details, current inhalers, which tests were performed and the clinical question they were meant to answer.

  2. 02 Technique

    Which tests were done

    Confirms which manoeuvres were performed - spirometry, lung volumes, DLCO - and their acceptability against ATS/ERS standards.

  3. 03 Findings

    FEV1, FVC, TLC, DLCO

    Each measurement compared with modern age, sex, height and ethnicity reference values - with percent predicted and z-scores.

  4. 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

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Frequently asked

Common questions about pulmonary function tests.

Quick answers on cost, referrals, inhaler timing, safety and results.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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. You should be sent exact instructions with your appointment.

  • 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.

  • Do I need a referral?

    Most PFT labs accept self-referral.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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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Looking for something else?

In practice, in London

Where pulmonary function tests sits in a private London pathway

With pulmonary function tests, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. Public provision for pulmonary function tests is competent but constrained by capacity. Private London clinics tend to have shorter diaries and longer appointment slots, so you get the same specialists with more time. For people who’ve been going round in circles with primary care, that first proper conversation is often what shifts things.

A private pulmonary function tests pathway in London usually looks like this: an initial consultation, any diagnostics booked at a nearby facility (most within Zone 1 or 2), and a written report sent to you and your GP within a few days. For pulmonary function tests specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

It helps to keep expectations realistic. A private pulmonary function tests appointment in London won’t change the underlying medicine - the guidelines, the consultants, and the equipment are largely the same as on the NHS. What it changes is speed, continuity, and the amount of time you get to actually talk through the findings. UK doctors must be GMC-registered, and independent healthcare facilities in England are regulated by the CQC.