Diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia by Transbronchoscopic Lung Biopsy

¹ Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minn.

A diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia was made in seven patients by the technique of transbronchoscopic lung biopsy. In this technique, flexible forceps are inserted through a rigid bronchoscope. No false negative results obtained, that is, no other cases of pneumocystis pneumonia were discovered by any additional technique, including autopsy, among a group of 525 patients with diffuse pulmonary diseases who had transbronchoscopic lung biopsy. Transbronchoscopic lung biopsy is an effective and accurate method of obtaining pulmonary tissue that is suitable for the demonstration of P carinii, especially in patients who are too ill to withstand open lung biopsy.