RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the application of lung biopsy in the diagnosis of diffuse pulmonary interstitial disease (DPID). METHODS: The data of lung biopsy from 17 cases with uncertain DPID obtained during the period of July 1997 and December 2002 were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: All the cases were diagnosed by pathology. Three of them were diagnosed as sarcoidosis. Two were pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. One with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), one with bronchiolitis obliterans and organizing pneumonia, one with nonspecific pneumonia, one with Castleman's disease, one with pulmonary lymph angio-leiomyomatosis, two with bronchioalveolar carcinoma, one as rheumatoid pulmonary fibrosis complicated with pulmonary squamous cancer and locally metastasis in lungs, two as pulmonary lymphangitic carcinomatosis, one as lung squamous cancer with pulmonary lymphangitic metastasis, and one with primary pulmonary paraganglioma. CONCLUSION: Harvest of lung tissue directly by biopsy could be the most useful diagnostic method for DPID, and it is a highly valuable diagnostic tool for those patients whose diagnosis is uncertain with routine chest film and high resolution computed tomography.