Teaching Console

Case Simulator and Teaching Tracks

Overview Review Logic Open Workstation

Purpose

Practice common and advanced cases

Use these examples to rehearse physiology, wording, and test selection before live review.

Teaching Value

Move from core to advanced patterns

Start with normal, obstruction, restriction, and mixed defects before using challenge, muscle, or CPET cases.

Best Pairing

Load cases in the workstation

Use the case name here, then open the same case in the live reading console.

Core PFT

Pattern recognition set

Normal study, obstruction, restriction, mixed defect, and isolated low DLCO remain the base cases for every reader.

Airway Biology

High FeNO with positive challenge

Use this case to show how eosinophilic inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness support the impression without replacing spirometry.

Advanced Physiology

Muscle and CPET cases

Respiratory weakness, deconditioning, and ventilatory limitation cases help teach when to move beyond resting PFT.

Case 1

Normal study

Use for baseline wording, normal z-score ladder explanation, and how a clean report should read.

  • Primary question: what a normal report sounds like
  • Best workstation case: `normal`

Case 2

Obstructive pattern with air trapping

Shows the ratio-first branch, low FVC interpretation, RV/TLC context, and reduced diffusion.

  • Primary question: obstruction versus mixed impairment
  • Best workstation case: `obstruction`

Case 3

Restrictive ventilatory impairment

Teaches why TLC closes the case for restriction when the ratio is preserved and FVC is low.

  • Primary question: restriction confirmation
  • Best workstation case: `restriction`

Case 4

Mixed defect

Shows why obstruction plus low TLC should stay explicit rather than being flattened into a single label.

  • Primary question: mixed physiology
  • Best workstation case: `mixed`

Case 5

Isolated low DLCO

Useful when spirometry is preserved but gas transfer changes the physiologic story and next-step workup.

  • Primary question: standalone gas transfer impairment
  • Best workstation case: `low-dlco`

Case 6

High FeNO with positive challenge

Teaches how FeNO and methacholine strengthen an asthma pathway without replacing the rest of the interpretation.

  • Primary question: airway biology and hyperresponsiveness
  • Best workstation case: `eosinophilic-asthma`

Case 7

Respiratory muscle weakness

Shows when SNIP, MIP, and MEP help explain low volumes or symptoms that spirometry alone does not explain.

  • Primary question: inspiratory or combined weakness
  • Best workstation case: `respiratory-weakness`

Case 8

CPET deconditioning pattern

Useful when symptoms are real but the limitation pattern is not ventilatory and oxygenation is preserved.

  • Primary question: deconditioning versus cardiopulmonary limitation
  • Best workstation case: `cpet-deconditioning`

Case 9

CPET ventilatory limitation

Shows low peak VO2 with low breathing reserve, inefficiency, and desaturation when exertional limitation is physiologic.

  • Primary question: ventilatory limitation at exercise
  • Best workstation case: `cpet-ventilatory`