RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Identification of the pathological pattern by transbronchial lung cryobiopsies in patients with fibrosing diffuse parenchymal lung disease JF European Respiratory Journal JO Eur Respir J FD European Respiratory Society SP 2825 VO 40 IS Suppl 56 A1 Gian Luca Casoni A1 Alberto Cavazza A1 Alessandra Dubini A1 Sara Tomassetti A1 Micaela Romagnoli A1 Claudia Ravaglia A1 Carlo Gurioli A1 Vittorio Pietrangeli A1 Christian Gurioli A1 Venerino Poletti YR 2012 UL http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/40/Suppl_56/2825.abstract AB Background: Specimens from transbronchial lung biopsies lack sufficient quality due to crush artifact and are generally too small to identify any pathological pattern for diagnosis of fibrosing diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD). Flexible cryoprobes have been shown to be useful for obtaining more large biopsy samples of lung parenchyma bronchoscopically in patients with DPLD.Objectives: The purpose of this prospective study was to identify the pathological pattern by transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TLC) using flexible cryoprobe in patients with clinical and radiographic features compatible with fibrosing DPLD and/or chronic Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonia (IIP)Results Biopsies obtained from 40 patients were evaluated. Adequate cryobiopsies specimens were available in 39 of 40 patients. The average size of cryobiopsies was 6.0 x 4.2 mm. Crush artifacts were not seen. In 34 cases (85%) TLC identified a pathological pattern and contained features to suggest a Usual Interstitial Pneumonia pattern (ie. at least 2 of three pathologic features of UIP present; ie. patchy interstitial fibrosis, fibroblast foci and/or honeycomb changes) in 21 cases; Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonia pattern in 8 cases; Organizing Pneumonia pattern in 2 cases; Desquamative Interstitial Pneumonia pattern in 1 case; Eosinophilic Pneumonia pattern in 1 case; bronchiolitis pattern in 1 case. In 6 cases (15%) a pathological pattern was not identified.ConclusionsIn this prospective study the use of the TLC may allow to identify a pathological pattern in patients with clinical and radiographic features compatible with fibrosing DPLD and/or chronic IIP.