A comparison of biopsy results using rigid and fibreoptic bronchoscopes

A comparison of the results of bronchial biopsy in the histological diagnosis of lung cancer obtained via the fibreoptic bronchoscope and the rigid bronchoscope has been made. Positive biopsy rates of 72% with the fibreoptic bronchoscope and 51% with the rigid bronchoscope were obtained (P less than 0.001). Evidence is presented to show that this difference was not due to selection of patients. The negative biopsy rates in the presence of proven visible tumour were 9% with the fibreoptic bronchoscope and 16% with the rigid bronchoscope.