Future directions for bronchoalveolar lavage.

Bronchoalveolar lavage provides a means to sample the lung. The ability to describe material obtained from the lower respiratory tract has greatly facilitated pulmonary diagnosis, and it is likely that improvements in diagnostic techniques will continue to develop. The ability to accurately measure lower respiratory tract components has permitted staging of lung disease. Such staging will probably provide improved prognostic insight and permit the development of new therapeutic strategies in lung disease.