Introduction End expiratory lung volume (EELV) measurement in the clinical setting is routinely performed using the helium dilution technique. A ventilator that implements a simplified version of the nitrogen washout/washin technique is now available. We compared the EELV measured by spiral computed tomography (CT) taken as gold standard with the lung volume measured with the modified nitrogen washout/washin and with the helium dilution technique.

During prone position, changes in PaCO(2), but not in oxygenation, are associated with lung recruitability which, in turn, is associated with the severity of lung injury.