Bronchoalveolar lavage.

Bronchoalveolar lavage is a valuable diagnostic technique when appropriate patient selection is made, which includes diseases that involve the pulmonary parenchyma and patients that can safely undergo general anesthesia. Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology has the potential to provide a definitive diagnosis or additional diagnostic information with a less invasive procedure than lung aspiration or thoracotomy. Limitations of accuracy in cell counts and negative findings are considerations when interpreting bronchoalveolar lavage fluid results.