[Subsegmental bronchoalveolar lavage in the diagnosis of inflammatory and disseminated processes in the lungs].

Analysis of the results of the diagnostic bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in 108 patients has shown that based on the study of the cellular composition of the bronchoalveolar washing (BAW) one can form a judgment about the activity of chronic bronchitis and disseminated processes in the lungs. In individual patients, the cytological examination of the BAW permits detecting the characteristic cell elements (hemosiderophages, tumor cells) and verifying the pattern of the disseminated process in the lungs.