Study of Bronchoalveolar Lavage to Achieve a Correct Diagnosis in Patients with Suspicion of Lung Carcinoma

Abstract

Background & Method: The present study was conducted in department of Pathology at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences & Post graduate Institute, Indore, M.P. over a period of 2 years from May 2012 to June 2015. All the cases of suspected bronchial malignancy were included in present study in which broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) and bronchial biopsy samples were received in pathology department for evaluation. Respective bronchial brushings & sputum samples were also studied where ever available. Result: Out of 72 cases of malignant biopsy samples, simultaneous bronchoalveolar lavage samples received, in which 13 (54.16%) cases were positive for malignancy. Of these 72 cases, Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent cell-type carcinoma with 41.6% while frequency of adenocarcinoma is 25%. Frequency of Small cell carcinoma is 13.8% and other type of carcinoma’s accounts for 19.4%. Cases of atypical Squamous metaplasia in which malignancy is highly suspected, were also taken as positive cases. Conclusion: Endobronchial biopsy is the most sensitive and specific procedure for diagnosis of lung carcinoma. Bronchoalveolar lavage is good screening test. When endobronchial biopsy and BAL, both were studied, sensitivity of cases increases and number of false negative cases decreases for diagnosis. Bronchial brushing have better sensitivity than BAL for diagnosis of lung carcinoma.