title: Flexible transbronchial needle aspiration for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis.
abstract: To determine the value of transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, we reviewed a 1-year experience of consecutive patients with sarcoidosis presenting with hilar and/or paratracheal adenopathy. The sensitivity of transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy in obtaining specimens of noncaseating granulomas was 90%. This yield exceeds that of most published reports of transbronchial lung biopsy and bronchial mucosal biopsy and suggests that transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy may be a valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of these forms of sarcoidosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21205.
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fuenning
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Terry
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*