Normal Values:

The trachea and bronchi are normally pink and smooth. There are no foreign bodies, growths, blockages, or infections.

The sample taken with a transbronchial biopsy should be normal tissue from the lining of the bronchus and air sacs (alveoli).

What abnormal results mean:

• Adenoma (tumor)
• Alveolar abnormalities such as alveolar proteinosis
• Bronchial abnormalities, tumors
• Endobronchial mass
• Granulomas
  • Caseating granulomas
  • Necrotizing granuloma (granular tumor)
  • Non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation
  • Peribronchial granulomas
  • Sarcoidosis
• Infection such as:
  • Actinomycosis
  • Anaerobic bacterial infections
  • Aspergillosis
  • CMV pneumonia
  • Coccidiomycosis
  • Fungus infections
  • Histoplasmosis infections
  • Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP)
  • Tuberculosis or mycobacteria
• Inflammation of the lungs related to allergy-type reactions (hypersensitivity pneumonitis)
• Rheumatoid lung disease
• Vasculitis