Yield of computed tomography and bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of mycolbacterium avium complex pulmonary disease

摘要

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary disease with nodules and bronchiectasis is increas- ing. But the usefuless of computed tomography (CT) and bronchoscopy for diagnosis and the sig- nificance of MAC isolation from respiratory secretions are still unclear. For a 4-yr period, we prospec- tively examined the role of bronchoscopy with bronchial washing and transbronchial lung biopsy in 26 patients who had clusters of small nodules in the periphery of the lung asociated with ectatic changes of the draining bronchi on the CT scan.