Sunday, February, 12, 2012

Bronchoscopy with transbronchial biopsy

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Biopsy - lung - bronchoscopic


Normal Values

The trachea and bronchi are normally pink and smooth. There are no foreign bodies, growths, blockages, or infections.

The sample taken with a transbronchial biopsy should be normal tissue from the lining of the bronchus and air sacs (alveoli).


What abnormal results mean
  • Adenoma (tumor)
  • Alveolar abnormalities such as alveolar proteinosis
  • Bronchial abnormalities, tumors
  • Endobronchial mass
  • Granulomas
    • Caseating granulomas
    • Necrotizing granuloma (granular tumor)
    • Non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation
    • Peribronchial granulomas
    • Sarcoidosis
  • Infection such as:
    • Actinomycosis
    • Anaerobic bacterial infections
    • Aspergillosis
    • CMV pneumonia
    • Coccidiomycosis
    • Fungus infections
    • Histoplasmosis infections
    • Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
    • Tuberculosis or mycobacteria
  • Inflammation of the lungs related to allergy-type reactions (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)
  • Rheumatoid lung disease
  • Vasculitis

Review Date: 09/13/2008
Reviewed By: Benjamin Medoff, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Pulmonary and Critical Care Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)