Table 3

Lung volumes

Group
Supine EELV or FRC (litres)



SF6
CT

ARDS patients
1.2 ± 0.4
1.9 ± 0.8
Healthy subjects
1.7 ± 0.3
1.8 ± 0.3

(78% of predicted)
(80% of predicted)

End-expiratory lung volume (EELV) in the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients and functional residual capacity (FRC) in the healthy subjects were measured by rebreathing of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) and computed tomography (CT), respectively. Predicted normal FRC values are from [25].

Rylander et al. Critical Care 2005 9:R165   doi:10.1186/cc3058