Cytologic diagnosis of lung lesions by bronchial brushing.

Material obtained by the bronchial brushing technique from 205 patients with radiographically demonstrable lung lesions was evaluated. The bronchial smears showed well-preserved cellular elements which provided for evalua­ tion of the type of cancer, as well as differentiation of cancer cases from in­ flammatory lesions. Lung carcinoma was diagnosed by bronchial brushing in 66 percent, by sputum cytology in 40 percent and by bronchoscopic aspirate in 19 percent. These gave an over-all positive cytologic diagnosis of 77 percent. Pitfalls in the cytologic interpretation were pointed out. The bronchial brush­ ing technique is an important tool in the diagnosis of pulmonary lesions which are not accessible by bronchoscopy, and in which sputum failed to show tumor cells. The procedure is simple, is performed under local anesthesia with fluoroscopic control and is free of significant complications.