[Value of bronchoalveolar lavage for the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the lung]

Abstract

The differentiation of interstitial lung diseases and disseminated lung tumors only by radiological methods is impossible. Cytological or histological examinations of specimens taken by bronchological or surgical examinations are able to confirm the diagnosis. In two cases of a disseminated process in which other bronchological diagnostic methods failed we found cells of an adenocarcinoma by BAL. We recommend this method for differential diagnostic between interstitial lung diseases and disseminated intraalveolar carcinoma, especially bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma.