Comparison of transbronchial and open biopsies in chronic infiltrative lung diseases.

To ascertain the diagnostic reliability of transbronchial biopsy (TBB) a prospective comparison with open lung biopsy was made. All patients with undiagnosed diffuse infiltrative (interstitial) lung disease had a TBB. When this was characteristic of tumor, sarcoidosis, or infection, no additional biopsy was deemed necessary. In all other patients, an open biopsy was performed. Between January 1976 and May 1980, among 176 patients with...