What diseases can be diagnosed through a lung biopsy?
Mar 03, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Ren Yi
Introduction
Lung biopsy can definitively diagnose diseases such as lung cancer, pulmonary metastatic cancer, tuberculosis, pulmonary fungal infections, and sarcoidosis. Lung biopsy is one of the commonly used diagnostic methods for these lung conditions. Through lung biopsy, the cellular type of a tumor can be determined, such as adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma in non-small cell lung cancer. It also helps assess the degree of tumor differentiation, providing crucial information for developing treatment plans and evaluating prognosis.
Generally, lung biopsy can confirm diagnoses of diseases such as lung cancer, pulmonary metastatic cancer, tuberculosis, pulmonary fungal diseases, sarcoidosis, and others. Details are as follows:
1. Lung Cancer: Lung biopsy is one of the commonly used diagnostic methods for lung cancer. Through lung biopsy, the cellular type of the tumor can be identified, such as adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma within non-small cell lung cancer. It also helps determine the degree of tumor differentiation, providing critical information for treatment planning and prognosis evaluation.
2. Pulmonary Metastatic Cancer: When malignant tumors from other parts of the body metastasize to the lungs, a lung biopsy can confirm whether it is a metastatic cancer and, based on pathological features, help identify the primary tumor site, such as metastases from breast cancer, colorectal cancer, renal cancer, etc.
3. Tuberculosis: For patients with atypical presentations or negative sputum tuberculosis tests, lung biopsy can help identify characteristic pathological changes of tuberculosis infection, such as caseous necrosis and tuberculous granulomas. Combined with acid-fast staining and culture tests, it enables a definitive diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.
4. Pulmonary Fungal Diseases: For conditions such as pulmonary aspergillosis or pulmonary cryptococcosis, lung biopsy allows observation of the morphology, structure of fungi, and inflammatory responses in lung tissues, aiding in identifying the specific fungal species and guiding antifungal therapy.
5. Sarcoidosis: The lung is one of the most commonly affected organs in sarcoidosis. Lung biopsy typically reveals non-caseating necrotizing granulomas composed of epithelioid cells and multinucleated giant cells, with surrounding lymphocytic infiltration. This helps differentiate sarcoidosis from other pulmonary diseases and confirm its diagnosis.
Prior to performing a lung biopsy, the patient's general condition and clinical status must be rigorously evaluated to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the procedure. Additionally, biopsy results should be interpreted in combination with the patient's clinical presentation, imaging studies, and other laboratory findings for comprehensive analysis and accurate diagnosis.
