HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Article Archive Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Berbescu, E. A. Articles by Zisman, D. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Berbescu, E. A. Articles by Zisman, D. A.

Transbronchial Biopsy in Usual Interstitial Pneumonia^*

^* From the Department of Pathology (Drs. Berbescu and Katzenstein), SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY; the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine (Dr. Snow), University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; and the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Hospitalists (Dr. Zisman), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.

Correspondence to: David A. Zisman, MD, FCCP, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 37-131 Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, CA 90095; e-mail: dzisman{at}mednet.ucla.edu

Abstract

Background: Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) is a slowly progressive, usually fatal form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia for which there is no effective treatment. Transbronchial biopsy (TBB) has been utilized only to exclude other diseases such as sarcoidosis, lymphangitic carcinoma, and infection, for example, but TBB is generally considered to have little role in confirming UIP.

Objective: To determine whether diagnostic changes of UIP can be appreciated on TBB specimens.

Design: Retrospective analysis of TBB specimens from patients with proven UIP.

Setting: Two study sites in the United States.

Participants: Twenty-one patients with UIP confirmed by surgical lung biopsy and/or lung explant, and 1 patient with UIP confirmed by clinical and radiographic findings along with follow-up information.

Measurements and results: Adequate tissue for diagnosis was available in 18 cases; in 7 cases (32% overall), there were varying combinations of interstitial fibrosis in a patchwork pattern along with fibroblast foci and/or honeycomb change. These features were considered diagnostic of UIP. Interstitial fibrosis along with fibroblast foci or honeycomb change were seen in two other cases, but the fibrosis lacked a patchwork pattern, and these features were considered consistent with UIP. Nonspecific interstitial fibrosis alone was found in nine cases.

Conclusions: In summary, characteristic histologic features of UIP can be identified on TBB specimens more often than previously appreciated. TBB may be more useful in confirming UIP than previously recognized.

Key Words: diagnosis • interstitial lung disease • pulmonary fibrosis • transbronchial biopsy • usual interstitial pneumonia

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. Noth and F. J. Martinez Recent Advances in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Chest, August 1, 2007; 132(2): 637 - 650. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Mukherjee and M. Spiteri Transbronchial biopsy and usual interstitial pneumonia: a step backward in disease management? Chest, November 1, 2006; 130(5): 1628 - 1628. [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. A. Zisman and A.-L. A. Katzenstein Transbronchial Biopsy and Usual Interstitial Pneumonia: A Step Forward in Disease Management Chest, November 1, 2006; 130(5): 1628 - 1629. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Churg and M. Schwarz Transbronchial Biopsy and Usual Interstitial Pneumonia: A New Paradigm? Chest, May 1, 2006; 129(5): 1117 - 1118. [Full Text] [PDF]