Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy: its role in diagnosis of lung lesions

When a lesion is suspected to be primary or metastatic lung cancer or due to certain infiltrative processes, flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy may be the best means of evaluating the bronchial tree and its adjacent lung parenchyma. The procedure is relatively noninvasive, can be done with the patient fully awake, and has limited contraindications and few complications.