Abstract

Background: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a widely used diagnostic procedure in pulmonology, yet its utility across diverse pulmonary conditions warrants further evaluation. Methods: This prospective study involved 47 patients suspected of having pulmonary diseases, where conventional diagnostics were inconclusive. BAL was performed to diagnose infections, interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), and malignancies, with subsequent analysis for sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic yield. Results: BAL identified tuberculosis in 15 cases (31.9%), bacterial pneumonia in 10 (21.3%), fungal infections in 2 (4.3%), ILDs in 5 (10.6%), and malignancies in 6 (12.8%). The procedure demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy with sensitivity and specificity rates notably high across conditions: tuberculosis (88.2%, 97.0%; p<0.001), bacterial pneumonia (76.9%, 98.5%; p<0.001), fungal infections (66.7%, 99.0%; p=0.005), ILDs (83.3%, 96.7%; p=0.001), and malignancies (85.7%, 97.5%; p<0.001). Conclusion: The study highlights BAL's substantial diagnostic value in pulmonary diseases, reinforcing its role in enhancing diagnostic accuracy and informing therapeutic strategies. BAL emerges as an indispensable tool in the early detection and management of complex lung diseases.

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