The value of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in diagnosis of smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis

Although mycobacterial culture positivity is the gold standard for the diagnosis, the initial approach to the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTbc) is the detection of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) in respiratory specimens as recommended by the World Health Organization. But the physicians have to make a decision for the patients whose sputum smears are negative or who can not produce sputum. Waiting for culture results with radiological follow up or empirical antituberculous therapy are the standard options. In our study we aimed to assess the diagnostic yield of fiberoptic bronchoscopy in patients, suspected to have tuberculosis, whose sputum smears were negative or who could not produce sputum. Fifty six patients who suspected to have PTbc with sputum smear negative were enrolled in the study (fiberoptic bronchoscopy and selective bronchial washings were done to all patients. Bronchial washings were obtained from the affected parts). Mucosal biopsies were done in patients in where endobronchial abnormalities were noted. Transbronchial biopsies were done in selected patients from the radiological localizations. Ziehl-Nielsen staining and culture in L?wenstein-Jensen medium were the microbiological studies. Typical granulomas were expected to detect on histopathologic examination. Bronchoscopic lavage smears were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 13 (23%) patients. Twenty eight (50%) patients had positive culture. Histopathological results confirmed tuberculosis in eight of 20 patients who had undergone mucosal biopsies, four of seven of transbronchial biopsies, two of three of needle aspiration biopsies. By bronchoscopic procedures early diagnosis was performed in 27 (48.21%) patients. We concluded that fiberoptic bronchoscopy has an important role in the diagnosis of patients suspected to have tuberculosis, whose sputum smears were negative or who could not produce sputum. It is useful and necessary in selected cases.     

Yield of bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

The efficacy of bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of tuberculosis in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has not been systematically evaluated. We therefore compared the diagnostic yield of bronchoscopy in 67 HIV-infected and 45 non-HIV-infected patients with culture-proven pulmonary tuberculosis. In all cases, acid-fast smears of sputum were negative or not obtained prior to bronchoscopy. Prebronchoscopic sputum culture yielded Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 34 (89 percent) of 38 HIV-infected patients and 26 (93 percent) of 28 non-HIV-infected patients from whom specimens were obtained. Bronchoscopy provided an early diagnosis of tuberculosis (positive acid-fast smear or granulomata on biopsy) in 23 (34 percent) of the HIV-infected patients and 20 (44 percent) of the patients without HIV infection. The sensitivities of the acid-fast smear and of mycobacterial culture of bronchoscopic specimens and postbronchoscopic sputum were similar in patients with or without HIV infection. In HIV-infected patients, granulomatous inflammation was noted on transbronchial biopsy in 11 (19 percent) of 59 patients with HIV infection, compared to 16 (43 percent) of 37 patients without HIV infection (p = 0.01). Nevertheless, transbronchial biopsy provided the exclusive means for an early diagnosis of tuberculosis in six (10 percent) of 59 HIV-infected patients. We conclude that the yield of bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients is similar to that in patients without HIV infection, and that transbronchial biopsy provides incremental diagnostic information not available from evaluation of sputum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.     

A tuberculostearic acid assay in the diagnosis of sputum smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis. A prospective study of bronchoscopic aspirate and lavage specimens

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the detection of tuberculostearic acid (TBSA) in bronchial aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage specimens is useful for the rapid diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis in patients suspected of having the disease. SETTING: A pulmonary clinic in a teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Forty patients suspected of active pulmonary tuberculosis but who failed to produce sputum or whose sputum smears were negative for acid-fast bacilli on at least 3 occasions, 29 of whom were subsequently confirmed to have tuberculosis. A group of 13 patients who were having fiberoptic bronchoscopy for other reasons served as controls. INTERVENTION: All patients had fiberoptic bronchoscopy; bronchial aspirate, bronchoalveolar lavage, and sputum specimens were obtained when possible. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: All specimens were examined microscopically for acid-fast bacilli, cultured for mycobacteria, and assayed for TBSA by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. Only 4 of the 29 patients with tuberculosis were diagnosed by direct microscopy compared with 26 by TBSA assay. In 2 patients who required surgical biopsy for conventional diagnosis, the TBSA test was positive. There were no false-positive TBSA results in the 13 controls, but 2 of 5 sputum specimens from the 11 test patients in whom tuberculosis was excluded were falsely positive, probably because of contamination with mouth flora. Because sputum can rarely be obtained from these patients and may give false-positive results, it is not a good specimen for TBSA assay. Sensitivities and specificities of the test for the other specimens were as follows: aspirate, 0.52 (CI, 0.32 to 0.71) and 1.00 (CI, 0.75 to 1.00); lavage, 0.68 (CI, 0.46 to 0.85) and 1.00 (CI, 0.84 to 1.00); aspirate and lavage combined, 0.79 (CI, 0.60 to 0.92) and 1.00 (CI, 0.86 to 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: The TBSA assay for bronchial aspirate and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid is useful for rapidly diagnosing "smear-negative" pulmonary tuberculosis. In these specimens it is highly specific and more sensitive than microscopy. This assay could be used to diagnose other mycobacterial infections, however, it cannot distinguish among species.     

The role of bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients at risk for HIV infection.

The present study was undertaken to clarify the role of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and transbronchial biopsy (TBB) in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We retrospectively identified 31 patients at risk for HIV who proved to have Mycobacterium tuberculosis on culture of at least one pulmonary specimen. All had pulmonary symptoms but initial sputum smears negative for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). All underwent fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB), including BAL and TBB; postbronchoscopy sputum was also collected in 19 patients. A specimen was considered to yield an immediate diagnosis when positive for AFB either on smear or histologic study; granulomas alone were considered positive when no other causes were identified. Overall, an immediate diagnosis was made by bronchoscopic specimens in 15 (48 percent) of 31 cases. TBB was the sole positive specimen in seven patients (23 percent). For comparison, similar specimens from 40 patients in whom M avium complex (MAC) grew on culture were also evaluated. An immediate identification of AFB was made in only four patients (10 percent). We conclude that the finding of AFB on staining of any pulmonary specimen is highly suggestive of tuberculosis, rather than MAC, and warrants institution of antituberculosis therapy. Of all bronchoscopic specimens, TBB provides the highest yield for an immediate diagnosis of tuberculosis.     

Diagnostic usefulness of transbronchial aspiration and bronchial lavage for pulmonary tuberculosis

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is a well established methods as a useful tool in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis with smear negative cases. In order to get the early and definite diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, we performed transbronchial aspiration and bronchial lavage by a fiberoptic bronchoscope in 97 patients. All patients (1) were clinically suspected of having active tuberculosis; (2) showed abnormal chest roentgenogram suggesting tuberculosis; (3) showed negative sputum smears of acid-fast bacilli, or had no sputum. The results of the study were summarized as follows: 1) Final diagnosis of study subjects were 90 patients of active pulmonary tuberculosis, and 7 patients of pulmonary atypical mycobacteriosis. 2) Sputum culture of acid-fast bacilli was positive in 22 out of 90 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. 3) Smear and culture examination of acid-fast bacilli of transbronchial aspirates were positive in 9 and 28, respectively out of 90 patients. 4) Smear and culture examination of acid-fast bacilli of bronchial lavage were positive in 12 and 39, respectively out of 90 patients. 5) A rapid and definite diagnosis was made in 16 out of 90 patients by transbronchial aspirates or bronchial lavage. 6) Atypical mycobacteria were detected in 7 out of 97 patients by transbronchial aspirates or bronchial lavage. 7) There were no serious complications such as pneumonia and exacerbation of pulmonary tuberculosis. These results suggested that transbronchial aspiration and bronchial lavage were useful procedures for rapid and definite diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.     

Comparison of sputum induction with fiberoptic bronchoscopy in the diagnosis of tuberculosis: experience at an acquired immune deficiency syndrome reference center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Many patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) do not produce sputum spontaneously or are smear-negative for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). We prospectively compared the yield of sputum induction (SI) and fiberoptic bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for the diagnosis of PTB in a region with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Fifty seven percent (143 of 251) of patients had diagnoses of PTB, of whom 17% (25 of 143) were HIV seropositive. There were no significant differences in the yields of AFB smears or cultures whether obtained via SI or BAL. Among 207 HIV-seronegative patients, the AFB smear and mycobacterial culture results from specimens obtained by SI and BAL were in agreement in 97% (202 of 207) (kappa test = 0.92) and 90% (186 of 207) (kappa test = 0.78), respectively. Among HIV-seropositive patients the agreements between AFB smear and culture results for SI and BAL specimens were 98% (43 of 44) (kappa test = 0.93) and 86% (38 of 44) (kappa test = 0.69), respectively. We conclude that SI is a safe procedure with a high diagnostic yield and high agreement with the results of fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of PTB in both HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive patients.     

Diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage in suspected pulmonary tuberculosis

Of 222 patients suspected of having pulmonary tuberculosis (PT), studied during a one-year period, we performed fiberoptic bronchoscopy together with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), bronchial washing and postbronchoscopy sputum smears and L?wenstein cultures in 20 patients. Bronchoalveolar lavage proved to be the most effective method leading to diagnosis in 17 of 20 cases. Diagnosis was obtained in 11 of 20 cases using bronchial washing and postbronchoscopy sputum. The results of this study suggest that bronchoscopy may be required in selected cases for the diagnosis of PT. However, it should be accompanied by BAL, bronchial washings and postbronchoscopy sputum smears. Indications for bronchoscopy as a diagnostic tool for PT may include: (a) patients suspected of having PT with negative smears and in whom treatment must be started due to clinical status; (b) suspicion of associated neoplasia; (c) selected patients with negative L?wenstein cultures; (d) lack of material being obtained by simpler methods.     

纤维支气管镜检查对肺弥漫性疾病的诊断价值

目的　了解纤维支气管镜(FB)检查对肺弥漫性病变的临床诊断价值。方法 总结1993～1999年间,经痰细胞学及细菌学检查均为阴性的肺部弥漫性病变86例行FB,并做活检、灌洗及刷片检查。结果 FB总的阳性率87.2%,镜下直视有病变51例,占59.4%。活检、灌洗液及刷检阳性率分别为69.2%、55.6%和30.8%。确诊肺癌38例中,支气管内新生物及肺活检阳性率分别为100%和84.2%,支气管肺泡灌洗液阳性率仅27.3%。在25例肺结核中,FB总的活检阳性率85.7%,而FB刷检和培养阳性率低16.2%。支气管镜肺活检的阳性率不因取活检次数的增加而增加。结论 FB,特别是活检是一种安全有效简便的方法,对肺弥漫性病变诊断率高,副作用小。     

纤维支气管镜检查对无痰或痰菌阴性不典型肺结核的诊断价值

目的 探讨纤维支气管镜（简称“纤支镜”）检查对无痰或痰菌阴性不典型肺结核的诊断价值。 方法 选无痰或痰菌阴性的不典型肺结核患者201例,用纤支镜在病变部位进行活检、刷检、支气管肺泡灌洗液（BALF）进行BBLMGIT(Mycobacteria Growth Indicate Tube)分枝杆菌快速培养查结核杆菌。术后进行痰涂片查抗酸杆菌、痰结核分枝杆菌快速培养。 结果201例刷检、BALF快速培养结核分枝杆菌阳性率分别是67.2%、83.6%,61例活检阳性率63.9%,201例术后痰涂片、术后痰快速培养结核分枝杆菌阳性率分别是28.9%、57.2%。 结论 纤支镜检查是确诊无痰或痰菌阴性不典型肺结核的有效方法 ,其中BALF行结核分枝杆菌快速培养具有较高的诊断价值、快速、阳性率较高。根据镜下所见采用不同的取材方法 可望提高诊断率。     

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy for the rapid diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: This study was aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) with chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) for the rapid diagnosis of active pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in patients suspected of PTB but found to have a negative sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear. METHODS: We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of results from FOB and HRCT in 126 patients at Gangnam Severance Hospital (Seoul, Korea) who were suspected of having PTB. RESULTS: Of 126 patients who had negative sputum AFB smears but were suspected of having PTB, 54 patients were confirmed as having active PTB. Hemoptysis was negatively correlated with active PTB. Tree-in-bud appearance on HRCT was significantly associated with active PTB. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of FOB alone was 75.9%, 97.2%, 95.3%, and 84.3%, respectively, for the rapid diagnosis of active PTB. The combination of FOB and HRCT improved the sensitivity to 96.3% and the NPV to 96.2%. CONCLUSIONS: FOB is a useful tool in the rapid diagnosis of active PTB with a high sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV in sputum smear-negative PTB-suspected patients. HRCT improves the sensitivity of FOB when used in combination with FOB in sputum smear-negative patients suspected of having PTB.     

Early diagnosis of tuberculosis by fibreoptic bronchoscopy.

We carried out a retrospective study of the methods used to achieve an early diagnosis of 67 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated at our institute between 1984 and 1989. Sputum bacteriology was positive in 56 of the 67 patients, 22 were positive on microscopical examination of smears and on culture and 34 on culture alone. The 11 patients with negative sputum bacteriology were all diagnosed by fibreoptic bronchoscopy. In addition, 21 of the 34 smear-negative/culture-positive patients were examined by fibreoptic bronchoscopy and the initial diagnosis was made in 7 of these. Thus the initial diagnosis was made by sputum bacteriology in 49 cases and by fibreoptic bronchoscopy in 18 cases. The median number of days between obtaining a specimen and starting therapy was 7 days for sputum microscopy, 41 days for sputum culture, 7 days for microscopic examination of bronchoscopy specimens, 51 days for culture of the same and 19 days for biopsy. Fibreoptic bronchoscopy is therefore useful for the diagnosis of cases of tuberculosis in which tubercle bacilli are not detected in sputum and, in some instances, for an earlier diagnosis of smear-negative/culture-positive patients.     

A ten-year experience with fiberoptic bronchoscopy for mycobacterial isolation. Impact of the Bactec system

From January 1974 to December 1983, positive mycobacterial isolates from all sources were reviewed to determine the impact of fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) on retrieval and identification of these organisms. There were 112 patients with positive cultures obtained during FB, 25 with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and 87 with mycobacteria other than tuberculosis (MOTT). We reviewed the results of prebronchoscopy and postbronchoscopy sputum specimens, bronchial washings, brushings, and transbronchial biopsy to determine the yield from each specimen in patients with M. tuberculosis. The bronchial washings provided positive cultures in 24 of 25 and were exclusively positive in 10 of 25 (40%). We also reviewed the clinical presentation, chest roentgenogram, bronchoscopy findings, and culture data for the 87 patients with MOTT isolated. The isolation of MOTT from bronchoscopy specimens increased throughout the study, most notably with the introduction of a rapid radiometric method (the Bactec system) for the recovery of mycobacteria to our laboratory in June 1983. Active disease could be established in only 13 of 87 cases (15%). Our findings confirm the sensitivity of Bactec in the isolation of MOTT from bronchoscopic specimens. The Bactec system, on the other hand, does not differentiate saprophytic colonization from clinical disease. To avoid expensive, time-consuming biochemical identification necessary to evaluate these MOTT isolates, careful selection of patients prior to obtaining mycobacterial cultures during FB is a critical factor.     

Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies in the rapid diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

From May, 1987, to December, 1990, 173 percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies (PTNB) using a 19-gauge spinal needle under uniplane fluoroscopic guidance were performed in 160 patients. Thirty-one patients had a final diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. These patients with tuberculosis underwent a total of 35 biopsies. Twenty of 35 (57%) had definite histologic features of tuberculosis with stainable acid-fast bacilli, 4/35 (11.5%) had granulomatous or caseous lesion consistent with tuberculosis, and 11/35 had nonspecific inflammatory changes. When results were matched with the sputum culture results, 15/35 specimens (43%) provided the exclusive means of diagnosis of tuberculosis. Five of 35 (14%) patients developed postbiopsy pneumothoraces. The overall acceptance by patients was good. This report indicates the potential usefulness of PTNB in the rapid diagnosis of selected cases of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis. The yield was comparable to fiberoptic bronchoscopy, currently commonly used in the diagnosis of pulmonary mycobacterial disease. The procedure was noted for its simplicity.     

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Diagnosis with bronchial brushings, biopsy, and bronchoalveolar lavage

Sixty-one diagnostic biopsies for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were performed on 40 homosexual male patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), using flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Bronchial brushings and bronchoalveolar lavage were performed in conjunction with the biopsy in 58 and 29 bronchoscopies, respectively. Using a rapid methenamine silver stain, P carinii pneumonia was diagnosed in 27 (68 percent) of the patients. Twenty of these patients had a repeat biopsy one or more times for evaluation of therapy. Eighteen of the biopsies following two to three weeks of therapy were positive. There was an 84 percent correlation between findings on transbronchial brushing and biopsy (89 percent on initial biopsy before treatment) and an 86 percent correlation between bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsy. Additionally, transbronchial brushing permitted demonstration of Pneumocystis organisms in four follow-up bronchoscopies in which the biopsy was negative or inadequate. Rapid methenamine silver stain of transbronchial brushings permits diagnosis of P carinii pneumonia in patients with AIDS within one-half hour of bronchoscopy.     

Percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies in the rapid diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.

From May, 1987, to December, 1990, 173 percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsies (PTNB) using a 19-gauge spinal needle under uniplane fluoroscopic guidance were performed in 160 patients. Thirty-one patients had a final diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. These patients with tuberculosis underwent a total of 35 biopsies. Twenty of 35 (57%) had definite histologic features of tuberculosis with stainable acid-fast bacilli, 4/35 (11.5%) had granulomatous or caseous lesion consistent with tuberculosis, and 11/35 had nonspecific inflammatory changes. When results were matched with the sputum culture results, 15/35 specimens (43%) provided the exclusive means of diagnosis of tuberculosis. Five of 35 (14%) patients developed postbiopsy pneumothoraces. The overall acceptance by patients was good. This report indicates the potential usefulness of PTNB in the rapid diagnosis of selected cases of suspected pulmonary tuberculosis. The yield was comparable to fiberoptic bronchoscopy, currently commonly used in the diagnosis of pulmonary mycobacterial disease. The procedure was noted for its simplicity.     

Diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage and postbronchoscopic sputum cytology in peripheral lung cancer

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and postbronchoscopic sputum cytology in diagnosing peripheral lung cancer. We performed a prospective study in 55 patients with lesions on chest radiographs who were suspected of having lung cancer and had non-endoscopically visible lesions on fiberoptic bronchoscopy. The sequence of procedures in all cases was BAL and transbronchial forceps biopsy. The final diagnosis of these patients were primary lung cancer in 30 patients, metatastic lung cancer in five and benign diseases in 20. In the primary lung cancer group, BAL was positive for malignant cells in 14 of the 30 patients (46.7%). In seven (50%) of these patients, the cell type diagnosed by BAL agreed with the final diagnosis. The diagnostic yield of BAL was influenced by the size and segmental location of the lesion. Bronchoalveolar lavage provided a higher diagnostic yield (46.7%) than transbronchial biopsy (16.7%). In five patients with metastatic lung cancer and 20 patients with benign disease, BAL gave negative results in all. Postbronchoscopic sputum cytology was positive in only two of the 26 patients (7.7%) from whom samples could be obtained. Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology proved to be a valuable diagnostic tool in detecting peripheral, primary lung cancer. Postbronchoscopic sputum cytology provided no significant additional information.     

Diagnostic value of bronchoscopy in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis: bronchial aspirate, bronchial washing and transbronchial lung biopsy

The diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis is confirmed by the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum. Bronchoscopy has been used for diagnosis of various pulmonary diseases. The value of bronchoscopy such as bronchial aspirate, bronchial washing and transbronchial lung biopsy in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis was evaluated, and the results were as follows: 1) One hundred ninety cases were investigated bronchoscopically due to suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis with sputum negative smear and 92 cases were confirmed to be pulmonary tuberculosis. 2) Out of 91 cases examined by bronchial aspirate and 46 cases by bronchial washing, smear positivity was 20.9% and 23.9% and culture positivity was 58.2% and 84.8%, respectively. Transbronchial lung biopsy showed positive findings of tuberculosis in 75.8% out of 33 specimens. 3) Out of 88 sputa taken before bronchoscopy and 50 sputa after bronchoscopy, smear positivity was 0% and 12%, and culture positivity was 54.5% and 40% respectively. Gastric lavage culture positivity was 29.4% in 17 cases examined. 4) Diagnosis of tuberculosis was made rapidly in 28 cases (30.4%) by smear positive results of bronchial aspirate, bronchial washing and sputa after bronchoscopy, and relatively rapidly in 20 cases (21.7%) by transbronchial lung biopsy.     

Fiberbronchoscopy in smear-negative miliary tuberculosis

Twenty-two patients with smear-negative miliary tuberculosis underwent fiberbronchoscopy and brush smears; bronchial aspirates and transbronchial lung biopsy specimens were obtained. A definite diagnosis of tuberculosis was made in 16 (73 percent) patients. A rapid diagnosis was established in 14 of these 16 patients either from brush smears alone (three) or bronchial aspirate smear alone (one) or exclusively by histopathologic study of biopsy specimens (seven). Both brush smears and biopsy histopathology results provided the diagnosis in three patients. Bronchial aspirate culture was the only positive specimen in two patients. No serious complication resulted from the procedure. Our experience substantiates previous reports of the value and safety of fiberbronchoscopy in the rapid diagnosis of smear-negative miliary tuberculosis.     

The value of bronchial washings and bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of lymphangitic carcinomatosis

This study examines the value of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in diagnosing lymphangitic carcinomatosis. A retrospective analysis of fiberoptic bronchoscopic records at a tertiary referral hospital was performed. Twelve patients with neoplastic disease and diffuse pulmonary infiltrates compatible with lymphangitic carcinomatosis who underwent diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy were identified. Bronchoalveolar lavage correctly identified five (100 percent) out of five patients, bronchial washings identified four (57 percent) of seven patients and either procedure identified nine (75 percent) of 12 patients. Bronchial brushings were positive in two (40 percent) of five patients, and transbronchial lung biopsy confirmed the diagnosis in only four (44 percent) of nine patients. Transbronchial lung biopsy was uniquely positive in only one patient. One patient had a significant pulmonary hemorrhage following transbronchial lung biopsy, while no complications of BAL occurred. Two patients had significant coagulopathy, and one patient was severely agitated precluding transbronchial lung biopsy, and all three were positive by BAL. This study suggests that BAL should be performed to confirm the diagnosis of lymphangitic carcinomatosis before proceeding to a biopsy, especially when the risks of pneumothorax and hemorrhage are excessive.     

Utility of gallium67 scintigraphy and bronchial washings in the diagnosis and treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Twenty patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and suspected Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were evaluated by gallium67 (Ga67 scintigraphy and fiberoptic bronchoscopy for initial diagnosis and response to therapy. Lung uptake of Ga67 was demonstrated in 100% of AIDS patients with P. carinii pneumonia, including those with subclinical infection. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy identified P. carinii in the bronchial washings of 100% of cases (19 patients), whereas only 13 of 16 (81%) patients had P. carinii in lung tissue obtained by transbronchial biopsy. Repeat fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed in 16 of 20 patients. After 2 to 4 wk of therapy, P. carinii was identified in bronchial washings in 8 of 16 (50%) patients and in transbronchial biopsy in 1 of 10 (10%) patients examined. Bronchial washing has a higher yield than transbronchial biopsy in demonstrating P. carinii in patients with AIDS and may evolve as the procedure of choice in such patients. Based on the clinical course and results of Ga67 scintigraphy and fiberoptic bronchoscopy in AIDS patients with P. carinii pneumonia, optimal therapy may require at least 3 wk of treatment.