%0 Journal Article %A Maryam Ahmed %A Muhammad Badar Ganaie %A Mohammed Haris %A Imran Hussain %T Should bronchoscopy be performed in all patients with haemoptysis and a normal CT chest? %D 2014 %J European Respiratory Journal %P P2758 %V 44 %N Suppl 58 %X Background: Haemoptysis is a common symptom that requires urgent assessment to exclude serious lung pathology. The diagnostic pathway includes an urgent plain chest radiograph (CXR), chest computed tomography (CT) and bronchoscopic evaluation. We reviewed the investigations performed in patients presenting with haemoptysis over 12 months.Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients referred to our lung cancer clinic with new onset haemoptysis from January to December 2013.Results: 116 patients were referred with haemoptysis, 80 (69%) male; mean age 63 years; 51 (44%) current smokers. CXR was performed in 102 (75 reported normal). 89 (77%) had CT chest; 30 (33.7%) were reported abnormal (suspicious for malignancy or other pathology causing haemoptysis). Of the 59 patients with normal CT, bronchoscopy was performed in 51 (86%); 1 did not tolerate the procedure. 50 had no endobronchial abnormality. Of the 30 with abnormal CT, 21 had bronchoscopy. 12 had endobronchial abnormality confirmed to be malignant. 1 patient with normal endobronchial findings was diagnosed with malignancy on EBUS. Table 1 shows final diagnoses in patients that had an abnormal CTView this table:Final diagnoses in patients with abnormal CT chest. Sensitivity, specificity and negative predictive value for CT in patients presenting with haemoptysis was 100% (CI 73-100%), 76.62% (CI 65-85%) and 100% (94-100%) respectively.Conclusion: Our practice shows that CT chest is the best modality to pick up malignancy in patients with haemoptysis. Bronchoscopy should be used after CT to direct tissue sampling. %U