[Informative value of a cytological method of examination in lung diseases]

A total of 8055 cytological examinations of the sputum, bronchial secretion, pleural exudate, aspirate of the puncture of the lungs and peripheral lymph nodes were performed in 6525 patients with different pulmonary diseases. Neutrophilic, macrophagal and eosinophilic types of changes on cytograms were of clinical importance in patients with inflammatory bronchial and pulmonary diseases and bronchial asthma. In sarcoidosis epithelioid cells in the bronchial secretion were found in 11%, specific elements in tuberculosis in 5% of the patients. Comparison of the cytological and histological data in cancer patients showed coincidence in 94% of the patients. A possibility of a wide use of cytological studies in comprehensive diagnosis of pulmonary diseases was proved and their clinical importance shown.