[Benefits of bronchoscopy in hemoptysis and normal pulmonary X-rays in patients over 40 years of age].

Opinion has been divided as to the benefit of bronchoscopy in cases of haemoptysis but normal chest radiograms. In this study such patients were compared with a reference group of haemoptysis patients with X-ray changes. Of the former group 44 underwent bronchoscopy, but after a follow-up of 57 months malignancy has been found in only one case, as compared with a malignancy rate of 47 per cent in the reference group. Thus it is concluded that bronchoscopy is to be recommended in cases of haemoptysis and X-ray changes, whereas non-invasive investigation should suffice in patients under 40 years of age and without X-ray changes, though the risk of malignancy increases with age, particularly in smokers and ex-smokers.