MALIGNANT LUNG TUMORS

EFFICACY OF BRONCHIAL WASH CYTOLOGY AND ITS CORRELATION WITH BIOPSY IN DIAGNOSIS

Abstract

O b j e c t i v e : To determine sensitivity and specificity of bronchial wash cytology in diagnosis of malignant lung tumors, with
histopathology as gold standard. D e s i g n : Validation study of bronchial wash cytology as a screening procedure. S e t t i n g : Pulmonology
unit,Department of Medicine, Military Hospital Rawalpindi. D u r a t i o n : Six months (from Nov 2004 to May 2005) Patients a n d m e t h o d s:
Hundred indoor patients of either gender with clinical suspicion of lung tumors were included in this study by convenience non probability
sampling. Transbronchial biopsies of the lesions were done and samples of tissues were collected for histopathological examination. Ten
ml of reaspirated isotonic saline was sent for bronchial wash cytology examination. R e s u l t s : Out of 100 patients histopathological
examination confirmed malignancy in 75 (75%), whereas cytology could detect malignancy in 58 (58%). Thus bronchial wash cytology had
a sensitivity of 77.33% and a specificity of 100%. Conclusion: Pulmonary wash cytology has good sensitivity and specificity but yields less
information as compared to biopsy. It is particularly useful in patients where the latter is contraindicated or the required expertise is not
available.