[Bronchoscopic diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in miners]

Two hundred and thirty nine records of bronchoscopic examination of miners from iron ore mines, including 114 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis were studied and the frequency of specific and nonspecific endobronchitis and functional, anatomical and hemocirculatory disorders was determined. Qualitative estimation of the endoscopic symptoms and computer-assisted analysis enabled one to validate the direct and probabilistic bronchoscopically evident signs of active tuberculosis. The data on the mature, frequency and diagnostic value of some endoscopic signs should be considered in differentiation of tuberculosis in miners (without pneumoconiosis).