title: Bronchoalveolar lavage, serum angiotensin-converting enzyme, and gallium-67 scanning in extrathoracic sarcoidosis.
abstract: Results of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), 67Ga scanning, and serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (SACE) assay are compared in the assessment of pulmonary involvement in ten cases of extrathoracic sarcoidosis. Standard clinical, radiologic, and pulmonary function tests detected no pulmonary changes in these patients, but BAL demonstrated an increased alveolar lymphocytosis in eight of ten cases. SACE levels were increased in two cases, and the thoracic gallium uptake was normal in all cases. BAL appears to be the best technique for diagnosing latent pulmonary involvement in extrathoracic sarcoidosis.
mesh_terms: D001980:Bronchi; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / Q000097:blood*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A