[Practical application of histochemical methods in lung diseases]

A short review of different applications of enzyme-histochemistry and enzyme-cytochemistry in the field of lung pathology is given. As shown in own experiments, the phosphomolybdic-acid-stannous-chloride reaction (Landing et al. 1952) appears as a successful method for rapid demonstration of phospholipids in histological and cytological material. Application of histochemistry (reaction of acid phosphatase) in diagnostic of sarcoidosis (Kveim-test) gives in comparison with the traditional technique following advantages: 1. results are obtained more rapidly and with minor technical expense, 2. for pathologists, it is easier to differentiate between specific and non-specific reactions. With cytochemical methods (reaction of alkaline phosphatase) is is relatively easy to detect tumour cells in pleural fluids and ascites. This test (Eckert 1978, 1979) is neither cancer-specific nor does it cover all tumours cases. But its high positivity and its easy readability enable the technique to be used as a search method for tumour cells.