Transbronchial biopsy of the lungs in diagnosis of respiratory sarcoidosis

AIM: To specify diagnostic potentialities of transbronchial biopsy of the lungs (TBB) in respiratory sarcoidosis (RS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: TBB of the lungs was performed in bronchofibroscopy under local anesthesia and TV x-ray control with intake of 4-5 biopsy specimens. RESULTS: Biopsy specimens consisted primarily of alveolar tissue in 62.5% patients, of bronchial wall - in 34.8%, were insufficiently informative - in 2.4% patients. Histological examination of the biopsies detected sarcoid granulemas which served the basis for RS diagnosis in 62.5% patients (stage 1 - 51.1%, stage 2 - 70.4%, stage 3 - in 61.6%). Sarcoid granulemas were detected more frequently in alveolar tissue than in bronchial walls (75.3 and 38.5%, respectively, p < 0.05). In RS stage 1 granulemas in the bronchial walls were found less often than in stages 2 and 3 (56.3, 42.9%, respectively, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: TBB provides morphological RS diagnosis in 2/3 patients and is a safe method. Obtaining biopsies containing alveolar tissue raises efficacy of TBB, especially in the disease stage 1.