MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Bronchoscopy

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Bronchoscopy

A bronchoscope is a tube with a tiny camera on the end which is inserted through the nose (or mouth) into the lungs. During a bronchoscopy procedure, a scope will be inserted through the nostril until it passes through the throat into the trachea and bronchi. A bronchoscope is used to provide a view of the airways of the lung (tracheobronchial tree). The scope also allows the doctor to collect lung secretions and lung tissue for biopsy for tissue specimens.

Update Date: 3/2/2006

Updated by: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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