Bronchography in patients with suspected lung malignancy

Bronchography and flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) were performed on 95 patients with suspected lung malignancy. Finally, 66 of 95 lesions turned out to be malignant and 29 benign. Bronchographic diagnosis was correct in 46 of 66 cases of cancer (70%) but gave a false negative result in 20 malignant lesions and a false positive result in four benign lesions of which three had pulmonary tuberculosis and one hamartoma of the lung. It is concluded that bronchography is rarely indicated in central malignant lesions. In peripheral lesions bronchographic findings for malignancy are unreliable or negative.