Bronchoalveolar lavage for evaluation of interstitial lung disease revisit

High-resolution computed tomography of thorax has become an important diagnostic tool to narrow the differential diagnosis in interstitial lung disease.Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell analysis in the diagnosis and management of interstitial lung disease is now debated and controversial.Except for some rare interstitial lung disease,bronchoalveolar lavage cytology analysis is insufficient to diagnose the specific type of interstitial lung disease.Combination of clinical and radiological findings,bronchoalveoalr lavage analysis fluid may provide useful clues for the diagnostic evaluations of patients with suspected interstitial lung disease. Key words: Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid;  Interstitial lung disease;  Diagnosis