Open-Lung Biopsy in Diffuse Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

THE patient with a chest roentgenogram showing persisting diffuse infiltrations often presents a difficult diagnostic problem. The x-ray picture and the usual complaint of dyspnea are nonspecific. History and clinical examination have led to a diagnosis in only 10 per cent of our patients; even after prolonged observation, extensive studies and a variety of nonpulmonary biopsies we were at a loss for a diagnosis in 35 per cent of cases. This is not surprising because among more than 100 diseases listed by Buechner¹ that may cause miliary lung disease, at least 40 are limited to the lungs and do not . . .