[The morphological diagnosis of alveolar lipoproteinosis]

The authors report on diagnosis of two cases with alveolar lipoproteinosis, using materials from transbronchial lung biopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage. Light microscopic examination of the materials showed accumulation of fine-grained substance in the alveolar cavity which was stained intensively in red after PAS reaction and toluidin blue. Heterogeneous material was established in the alveoli by the electro microscope. Noncellular components were represented by single round membranes, not large parts of tubular myelin or osmiophilic strata bodies. The cellular component was presented mainly by alveolar macrophages with not well developed lysosomal apparatus (primary lysosomes), slightly manifested elements of Golgi complex, moderately developed cytoplasmatic reticulum. Many of the macrophages had preserved phagocytic activity-presence of pino- and phagocytic vacuoles.