Systems and methods for endobronchial diagnostics

Apparatus for assessing functionality of a lung compartment in a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a catheter having a distal end and a passage;
• an occluding member for sealing the distal end of the catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment, the occluding member being adapted to be expanded in an airway which feeds the lung compartment such that access to the lung compartment is provided only through the passage of the catheter when the occluding member is expanded;
• a control unit coupled to a solenoid valve;
• the solenoid valve adapted to be disposed within or in-line with the passage of the catheter so that flow in a proximal-to-distal direction is allowed and flow in a distal-to-proximal direction is inhibited or prevented, the control unit configured to close the solenoid valve during exhalation and open the solenoid valve during inhalation thereby allowing air to enter the lung compartment through the passage in the catheter while the patient is inhaling and blocking air from being expelled from the lung compartment through the passage in the catheter while the patient is exhaling;
• one or more flow sensors communicatively coupled to the control unit for measuring a baseline flow into the lung compartment while the patient is inhaling before actuation of the solenoid valve and measuring flow into the lung compartment while the patient is inhaling after actuation of the solenoid valve;
• and
• determining means for determining a degree of collateral ventilation present in the lung compartment based at least in part on a difference between the baseline flow and the measured flow into the lung compartment while the patient is inhaling without ventilation assistance, wherein the degree of collateral ventilation present is correlated to the difference between the baseline flow and the measured flow.