Induced sputum and cytological diagnosis of lung cancer.
Diagnosis of lung cancer by examination of induced sputum specimens for malignant cells may be a valuable alternative to diagnosis by bronchoscopy. Patients suspected of having lung cancer were recruited and randomly distributed into two groups, one group (n = 34) having sputum induced by use of an ultrasonic nebuliser before bronchoscopy, and the other (n = 33) undergoing ordinary expectoration before bronchoscopy. 25 patients in the induced-sputum group were diagnosed as having primary lung cancer; induced sputum was positive for malignant cells in 21 of these patients (84%), whereas bronchoscopy was positive in 23 (92%) (not significantly different). In comparison, ordinary sputum was positive in 15 of 29 patients (52%) diagnosed as having primary lung cancer, whereas bronchoscopy was positive in 28 (97%) (p less than 0.001). Induction of sputum by an ultrasonic nebuliser was an effective procedure for diagnosis of primary lung cancer.
IInd Department of Chest Medicine, Pulmologisches Zentrum, Vienna, Austria.
R R
RR
Khajotia
A
A
Mohn
L
L
Pokieser
J
J
Schalleschak
N
N
Vetter
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism
D012965:Sodium Chloride