Optical Biopsies Using Probe-Based Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for Autoimmune Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Increasing numbers of cases of mild asymptomatic pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) are being reported with the recent increase in chest computed tomography (CT). Bronchoscopic diagnosis of mild PAP is challenging because of the patchy distribution of lesions, which makes it difficult to obtain sufficient biopsy samples. Additionally, the pathological findings of mild PAP, particularly those that differ from severe PAP, have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to clarify the pathological findings of mild PAP and the usefulness of optical biopsy using probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE).

Methods

We performed bronchoscopic optical biopsy using pCLE and tissue biopsy in 5 consecutive patients with PAP (three with mild PAP and two with severe

SUBMITTER: Okamura T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10997271 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature