Transfer rate

Question 1

what is the transfer factor

what cgas is commonly used

Answer 1

The transfer factor describes the rate at which a gas will diffuse from alveoli into blood.

CO

Results may be given as the total gas transfer (TLCO) or that corrected for lung volume (transfer coefficient, KCO)

Question 2

causes of a raised TLCO

Answer 2

asthma
pulmonary haemorrhage (Wegener's, Goodpasture's)
left-to-right cardiac shunts
polycythaemia
hyperkinetic states
male gender, exercise

Where alveolar haemorrhage occurs the TLCO tends to increase due to the enhanced uptake of carbon monoxide by intra-alveolar haemoglobin.