Immunofluorescence of transbronchial biopsies in Goodpasture's syndrome

Abstract

Transbronchial lung biopsies were performed on 6 consecutive patients with presumptive diagnoses of Goodpasture's syndrome. Diagnoses were subsequently confirmed by the typical clinical presentation, circulating antibody to glomerular basement membrane and linear deposition of IgG on renal biopsy. We demonstrated linear deposition of IgG along the alveolar capillary basement membrane in each of the transbronchial lung biopsies. Rapid, meticulous processing allowed us to obtain reproducible results. The routine use of transbronchial lung biopsy with immunofluorescent staining is recommended for all presumptive cases of Goodpasture's syndrome.