Final diagnosis of "suspicious for malignancy" from bronchial washing cytology.

ABSTRACT

Our study showed that patients whose first bronchial washing cytology was reported "suspicious for malignancy" had 82 per cent positive predictive value for malignancy. Repeat bronchoscopy should be offered to those with a visible endobronchial mass, and transthoracic needle aspiration should be performed in patients with peripheral lesions.