title: Transbronchial lung biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage in diagnosis of diffuse infiltrative lung diseases.
abstract: We investigated 801 patients with lung infiltrates who underwent transbronchial lung biopsy (TBB) and performed cytologic studies of lavage fluid of 491 patients who also underwent bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). A specific histopathological diagnosis was made in 232 cases (29%). Histopathological changes consistent with the clinical pattern were present in 296 cases (37%). The diagnostic yield of TBB was 66%. Routine evaluation of BAL fluid allowed us to make a specific diagnosis in 49 cases. The role of the pulmonary pathologist in the interpretation of TBB and BAL specimens is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Istopatologia, Ospedale Bellaria, Bologna, Italia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poletti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Poggi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bertanti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spiga
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferracini
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology