Cryobiopsy shows promise in detecting pulmonary fibrosis in PAP patients

Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) can be a useful tool for detecting pulmonary fibrosis in patients with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), especially when fibrosis is suspected based on imaging, according to a study.

The retrospective study reviewed 7 patients diagnosed with PAP who underwent TBLC at a single center. Most cases (n = 6) were classified as autoimmune PAP, while 1 remained unclassified.

Histopathological analysis found that 2 patients had pulmonary fibrosis with architectural distortion. One was diagnosed with fibrosis linked to hypersensitivity pneumonitis coexisting with PAP, while the other had fibrosis associated with PAP itself.

Reference
Kanaoka K, Arai T, Takimoto T, et al. Pulmonary fibrosis in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis evaluated by transbronchial lung cryobiopsy: A single-center retrospective study. Respir Investig. 2024;62(6):1161-1167. doi: 10.1016/j.resinv.2024.10.002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39406126.