
Total lung capacity (TLC) is the maximum volume of air the lungs can hold at the end of a maximal inhalation. It is calculated by adding the inspiratory reserve volume, tidal volume, expiratory reserve volume, and residual volume. The average total lung capacity of an adult human male is about 6 litres of air, while for an adult female, it is about 4.2 litres. TLC is an important measure of lung health, and its measurement is an integral part of pulmonary function tests.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Volume of gas in the lungs at the end of a maximal inspiration |
| Average total lung capacity of an adult human male | 6 litres of air |
| Average vital capacity for females | 3100 milliliters |
| Average vital capacity for males | 4800 milliliters |
| Average vital capacity for average-sized females | 4200 milliliters |
| Average vital capacity for average-sized males | 6000 milliliters |
| Tidal volume | 500 milliliters |
| Expiratory reserve volume | 700 milliliters |
| Residual volume | 1100 milliliters |
| Inspiratory reserve volume | 1900 milliliters |
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What You'll Learn

Inspiratory reserve volume
IRV is an important measurement in pulmonary function tests, which are used to assess lung health and diagnose respiratory diseases. It can be measured directly by spirometry, a technique that measures the volume of air inhaled or exhaled during a respiratory cycle. The normal adult value for IRV is 1900-3300ml, which is approximately 10% of vital capacity. However, this can increase up to 50% of vital capacity during exercise.
IRV is an important indicator of respiratory muscle strength and can be affected by various factors such as respiratory muscle weakness, chest wall stiffness, and overall changes in control of respiration. For example, in the chronic phase of a stroke, both maximal inspiratory and maximal expiratory pressures are reduced, which can lead to decreased IRV. Additionally, IRV can be influenced by age, body composition, ethnicity, gender, and the presence of certain respiratory diseases.
The calculation of IRV is crucial in understanding lung function and respiratory health. It is calculated as the difference between total lung capacity and the sum of tidal volume and residual volume. By assessing IRV, healthcare professionals can evaluate an individual's respiratory muscle strength and identify any potential abnormalities or restrictions in lung function.
In summary, inspiratory reserve volume is a vital component of total lung capacity, reflecting the additional volume of air that can be inhaled beyond normal tidal volume. It is an important parameter in pulmonary function tests and can provide valuable insights into an individual's respiratory health and lung capacity.
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Expiratory reserve volume
The average ERV volume is about 1100 mL in males and 800 mL in females. ERV is part of the data gathered in pulmonary function tests used to diagnose restrictive pulmonary diseases and obstructive lung diseases. It is also used to determine the severity of a disease, functional disability, the course of the disease, and response to treatment.
ERV is measured with spirometry, a technique that measures how much air can be forced out of the lung over a specific period, usually one second (FEV1). It is part of the functional residual capacity (FRC), which is the volume of gas in the lung at the end of a normal expiration when airflow is zero and alveolar pressure equals ambient pressure. FRC is the sum of the expiratory reserve volume and the residual volume, which is the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a maximal expiration.
The tidal volume is the volume of air inspired or expired during each normal breath. After a normal tidal breath, the volume of air that can be further exhaled is the expiratory reserve volume. The vital capacity (VC) is the sum of the tidal volume, the inspiratory reserve volume, and the expiratory reserve volume. It measures the maximum amount of air that can be inhaled or exhaled during a respiratory cycle.
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Tidal volume
In a healthy adult male, tidal volume is approximately 500 ml per inspiration at rest, while in a healthy female, it is approximately 400 ml. It is a vital clinical parameter that allows for proper ventilation to take place. When a person breathes in, oxygen from the surrounding atmosphere enters the lungs. It then diffuses across the alveolar-capillary interface to reach arterial blood. At the same time, carbon dioxide is continuously formed as long as metabolism takes place. Expiration occurs to expel carbon dioxide and prevent it from accumulating in the body.
The volume of inspired and expired air that helps keep oxygen and carbon dioxide levels stable in the blood is what physiology refers to as tidal volume. Tidal volume is vital when it comes to setting the ventilator in critically ill patients. The goal is to deliver a tidal volume large enough to maintain adequate ventilation but small enough to prevent lung trauma.
Ventilation with large tidal volumes can cause barotrauma, a condition characterised by alveolar rupture and the subsequent accumulation of air in the pleural cavity or the mediastinum. In mechanically ventilated patients, monitoring plateau pressure is a reliable way to predict the risk of barotrauma. Plateau pressure is the pressure imposed on the small airway and alveoli during mechanical ventilation. It mainly depends on compliance and tidal volume. As compliance decreases, plateau pressure increases, and so does the risk of barotrauma. Therefore, an increase in plateau pressure necessitates lowering the tidal volume to decrease the risk of alveolar rupture.
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Vital capacity
The vital capacity can be measured using a wet or regular spirometer. It is an important measurement that can help diagnose underlying lung disease. It is also used to determine the severity of respiratory muscle involvement in neuromuscular diseases, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and myasthenic crisis.
The vital capacity of an individual depends on several factors, including age, sex, height, weight, and possibly ethnicity. It increases with height and decreases with age. For instance, the residual volume and the functional residual capacity increase with age, resulting in a decrease in vital capacity. Similarly, an increasing body mass index (BMI) is associated with a lower vital capacity.
The forced expiratory volume (FEV), which measures how much air can be forced out of the lungs over a specific period, usually one second, is an important spirometry measurement. The forced vital capacity (FVC), which is the total amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled, is also measured. The ratio of FEV to FVC is used to diagnose lung diseases, including asthma, emphysema, and fibrosis. A high ratio indicates lung fibrosis, while a low ratio indicates asthma.
The vital capacity remains unchanged during pregnancy due to the increased circumference of the rib cage. It can be helpful in determining the severity of respiratory muscle involvement in pregnancy-related neuromuscular diseases.
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Functional residual capacity
FRC cannot be measured directly using spirometry and has to be calculated. This is because it includes the RV, which is the volume of air that will always remain in the lungs and can never be exhaled. Therefore, to measure RV, one would need to perform a test such as nitrogen washout, helium dilution, or body plethysmography.
FRC is affected by conditions that impact lung compliance, which is the balance between the inward elastic recoil of the lungs and the outward recoil of the chest wall. Factors that influence lung compliance include diseases or conditions that affect lung tissue compliance, such as emphysema, asthma, and interstitial lung diseases. For example, in emphysema, the lungs are more compliant, and the equilibrium between the inward recoil of the lungs and the outward recoil of the chest wall is disturbed, resulting in increased FRC. Obstructive lung diseases with incomplete emptying of the lungs and air trapping can also lead to a high RV, which can increase the risk of barotrauma, pneumothorax, infection, and reduced venous return.
Other factors that influence FRC include acute position changes, age, height, and gender. FRC is highest when in an upright position and decreases when moving to a supine or prone position. Obesity can also decrease FRC due to increased pressure on the diaphragm and a reduction in thoracic volume. During pregnancy, FRC decreases due to hormonal changes that relax the diaphragm and the growing fetus exerting pressure on the thoracic cavity.
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Frequently asked questions
Total lung volume, or TLC, is the maximum amount of air the lungs can hold. It is the sum of all lung volumes and represents the maximum amount of air the lungs can hold.
There are four primary lung volumes: tidal volume (TV), inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), expiratory reserve volume (ERV), and residual volume (RV).
Total lung volume can be measured using Spirometry, Body Plethysmography, Nitrogen Washout, or Helium Dilution.
Total lung volume varies depending on age, body size, gender, ethnicity, genetics, height, and certain respiratory diseases.
The average total lung capacity of an adult human male is about 6 litres of air. For an average-sized female, it is around 4200 milliliters.

























