Transbronchial lung biopsy via the fiberoptic bronchoscope in the diagnosis of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in the immunosuppressed host.
The differential diagnosis of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates in the immunosuppressed patient is broad. Many of the etiologies are amenable to specific therapy. Although endobronchial brush biopsy has been used to identify many infections, including Pneumocystis carinii, it was less effective in the diagnosis of noinfectious infiltrates. Transbronchial lung biopsy via the fiberoptic bronchoscope provided lung tissue that could be studied histologically, which increased the diagnostic yield without the morbidity and mortality of open or percutaneous lung biopsies.-
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D020680:Bronchoscopes; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000469:parasitology