[Development of laboratory investigation methods in phthisio-pulmonology (summary of activities of the Central Research Institute of Tuberculosis, USSR Ministry of Health, during the twelfth 5-year plan of the laboratory section of the All-Union program 0.69.08)].

Comprehensive laboratory studies were performed to develop and introduce new techniques for examining patients with respiratory tuberculosis and some other pulmonary diseases. The techniques should improve and develop the immunologic and bacteriological diagnosis of tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, various exogenous allergic alveolitis and nonspecific inflammatory (microbial and mycotic) pulmonary diseases. Some of the methods were elaborated for morphological verification of sarcoidosis, alveolitis and rare pulmonary diseases. Radioimmuno-, enzyme immuno-, and other assays for the activity of various enzymes, as well as biochemical methods for assessing the superficial properties of individual cellular elements have found application in performing biochemical studies in pulmonary tuberculosis and non-specific diseases. Immunologic, bacteriological, cytologic and biochemical methods of study have been adjusted to examine the amount of bronchoalveolar washings in patients with different pulmonary diseases.