In an attempt to elucidate the nature of the pulmonary infiltrates, fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination was performed. At the time of the bronchoscopic procedure, the bronchial mucosa was noted to have a nodular cobblestone appearance throughout most of the major bronchi. Biopsy of the mucosa was performed without incident. Under fluoroscopic control the biopsy forceps was then directed into the infiltrate in the right lower lobe, and multiple transbronchial biopsies were performed. In addition, the bronchoscope was wedged in a subsegmentai bronchus and the area was lavaged with 150 ml of physiologic saline solution. A total of 33 × 106 Davis GS, Brody AR, Landis JN, et al: Quantitation of inflammatory activity in interstitial pneumonitis by bron-chofiberscopic pulmonary lavage. Chest (suppl 1): 265-266 Google Scholar bronchoalveolar cells were obtained by segmental lavage. A differential cell count of the bronchoalveolar cells revealed 68 percent alveolar macrophages, 31 percent lymphocytes, and 1 percent polymorphonuclear leukocytes. These findings were consistent with the presence of granulomatous inflammation in the lung. Subsequently, pathologic examination of the specimens from biopsies of the bronchial mucosa, lung, and breast revealed noncaseating granuloma consistent with sarcoidosis. Special staining reactions on all specimens from biopsies and cultures of bronchial washings were negative for organisms.
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