The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and postbronchoscopic sputum cytology in diagnosing peripheral @entity2 . We performed a prospective study in 55 @entity1 with lesions on chest radiographs who were suspected of having @entity2 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 @entity1 were @entity2 in 30 @entity1 , metatastic @entity2 in five and benign diseases in 20. In the @entity2 group, BAL was positive for malignant cells in 14 of the 30 @entity1 (46.7%). In seven (50%) of these @entity1 , 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 @entity1 with @entity2 and 20 @entity1 with benign disease, BAL gave negative results in all. Postbronchoscopic sputum cytology was positive in only two of the 26 @entity1 (7.7%) from whom samples could be obtained. Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology proved to be a valuable diagnostic tool in detecting peripheral, @entity2 . Postbronchoscopic sputum cytology provided no significant additional information.

Diagnostic value of bronchoalveolar lavage and postbronchoscopic sputum cytology in peripheral XXXX .

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity2 :: ('MESH:D008175', 'Disease') :: ['lung cancer', 'metastatic lung cancer', 'primary lung cancer']
@entity2 :: (MESH:D008175,Disease) :: ['lung cancer']
