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In [[biology]], '''diffusion capacity''' is a measurement of the [[lung]]'s ability to transfer gases. Oxygen uptake may be limited by diffusion in circumstances of low ambient oxygen or high pulmonary blood flow. Carbon dioxide is not limited by diffusion under most circumstances.
The "diffusing capacity" or "diffusion capacity" is part of a comprehensive test series of lung function called [[pulmonary function testing]]. In Europe, this is often called the "transfer factor". Critics of the term "diffusion capacity" argue that it may be misleading, and point out two problems with the term. The first is that the test measures not just ''diffusion'' across the alveolar-capillary membrane, but also takes into account factors affecting the chemical combination of a given gas with haemoglobin. The second criticism is that the test is typically measured under submaximal conditions and doesn't truly reflect a functional ''capacity''. For these reasons the term "transfer factor" better reflects the physiological process being measured.
==Calculation==
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