Should the spirometer know the barometric pressure and temperature of the room prior to a test?
Should the spirometer know the barometric pressure and temperature of the room prior to a test?
Yes. Spirometers need accurate ambient barometric pressure and temperature readings in order to produce accurate spirometry test results. Ambient temperature and pressure conditions (ATP), must be measured and factored in with the conditions within the lungs, referred to as BTPS (body temperature, pressure, water vapor saturated).
Some spirometers sense barometric pressure and room temperature automatically while others require operative determination and manual insertion of data for correct spirometric value calculations.