Assessment of the reactance lung volume relationship from the forced oscillation technique

This thesis describes the first clinically useful methods of assessing lung de-recruitment and airway closure from the forced oscillation technique. De-recruitment of airspaces in the lung occurs when airways close during exhalation and is altered in disease. Importantly, this is the first method able to identify the lung volume where lung de-recruitment is initiated and it establishes that de-recruitment occurs in two stages. The best methods of producing reliable clinically useful results are also established.