Nonspeci¿ c interstitial pneumonia is a type of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. By de¿ nition, the cases of nonspeci¿ c interstitial pneumonia are those which cannot be classi¿ ed as any other type of interstitial pneumonia. The Material of the investigation included 12 transbronchial biopsy lung samples. The quantity, structure and distribution of speci¿ c cellular elements were determined semiquantitatively, recognizing three levels of the lesions’ intensity: mild/ poor, moderate, and intense/abundant. The interalveolar septa were most frequently moderately thickened (50% of the cases) due to the presence of inÀ ammatory cells and multiplied connective. Of the inÀ ammatory cells, lymphocytes were most common and greatest in quantity (abundant, moderate and poor in 4, 5, and 3 cases respectively), followed by plasma cells and macrophages. The septal connective was moderately and mildly multiplied in 2 and 4 cases respectively. The lumen of the alveoli was in¿ ltrated by lymphocytes and macrophages, while poor peribronchial and perivascular lymphocyte in¿ ltrates were most commonly found. The interalveolar septa were most frequently moderately thickened due to the presence of chronic inÀ ammatory cells, predominantly lymphocytes, as well as to mildly-to-moderately multiplied connective. The lymphocytes usually permeated the septa diffusely. Bronchiolar and blood vessel ¿ ndings were nonspeci¿ c.

Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease of unknown etiology, which most commonly affects lungs and is characterized by the presence of non necrotizing lymphocyte-epitheloid granulomas. We used the material obtained by transbronchial biopsies of 34 patients having sarcoidosis, 22 (64,7%) women and 12 (35,3%) men, with the mean age of 43,2 years. In this paper, histological characteristics of 102 sarcoid granulomas were established. The quantity, composition and localization of cellular and fibrous elements were determined by quantitative analysis of stereometry, using the numerological density as a stereological variable. The sarcoid granuloma, with the average size of 356x254x microns is most commonly localized in the perivascular region (47% of granulomas). In the central part of the granulomas epitheloid cell, giant cells, macrophages, lymphocytes and plasma cells were found with thw average density of 111751mm 3. The lymphocytes were the most common cell type, followed by three times fewer number of epitheloid cells. The giant cells, most commonly of Langhans cell type, were present in 62% of granulomas. The average numerical density of all types of cells in the peripheral part of granulomas was 241346mm*. In the periphery of the granuloma the most dominant cell population were lymphocytes, which represented 91,5% of all cellular elements. Fibrinoid necrosis was found in 2% of all granulomas. Acidoresistent bacilli were not found. The average density of all cell types in the central part of granulomas was 111751mm*, with lymphocytes and epitheloid cells being the most common cells. The average numerical density of all cell types in the peripheral part of the granulomas was 241346mm 3, with the domination of lymphocytes with 91,5%. Fibrinoid necrosis was present in 2% of granulomas.

LCH is characterized by the presence of Langerhans cells juxtaposed against a backdrop of hematopoietic cells, including T-cells, macrophages, and eosinophils. The investigated material included open lung biopsy samples taken from seven patients (four males and three females) at the mean age of 23.2 years. They were all smokers. The intensity of the histological lesions was semiquantitatively measured, differentiating three intensity grades: mild, moderate and intense. In most cases (3/7), the interalveolar septa were focally and intensively thickened. The inÀ ammatory in¿ ltrates in the septa were focal, intense in 3/7, moderate in 1/7, and mild in 1/7 specimens. Lymphocytes prevailed, followed by macrophages, eosinophil granulocytes, and plasma cells. The lumen of the alveoli was occupied by a few macrophages and lymphocytes, sparse plasma cells and few eosinophil granulocytes. The alveolar cells were focally cuboid in 7 cases. Histiocyte aggregates were detected in all specimens, most frequently localized peribronchiolarly (7/7) and in the intraalveolar septa (4/7). The aggregates had either a clear (15/25), or a relatively clear (10/25) demarcation line against the periphery. The aggregates were predominantly composed of Langerhans’ cells (7/7, abundant), followed by eosinophil granulocytes (abundant in 4/25, moderate in 8/25, sparse in 13/25), lymphocytes (sparse in 10/25 and moderate in 15/25 cases), and plasma cells (sparse in 10/25). The Langerhans’ cells were CD1a and S 100 positive. Histiocyte aggregates were registered in all biopsy samples; the Langerhans’ cells were CD1a and S100 positive.

The granuloma is defined as a focal, chronic, mostly mononuclear inflammatory response to present irritants. The Material of the investigation included bronchobiopsy samples taken from 31 TB patients. The histological features of 53 tuberculous granulomas localized in the bronchial structures were determined in the study. The quantity, structure and distribution of the cellular and connective elements in the bronchial structures, as well as in the gra-nuloma, were determined by the quantitative stereome-tric method, using the numerical density as the stereolo-gical variable. The tuberculous granuloma, in the average size of 622x343 microns, was most frequently localized in the internal third of the lamina propria (34% of the ca-ses), at the average distance of 185 microns from the basal membrane. The central part of the granuloma was invaded by epithelioid and giant cells, macrophages, lymp-hocytes, plasma cells and fibroblasts, with the mean numerical density of 84151 mm-3. Lymphocytes were greatest in number, followed by epithelial cells, which were 2.5 times as few as lymphocytes. Giant cells, mostly Langhans in type, were registered in 66% of the granulomas. The mean numerical density of all cells in the peripheral part of the granuloma was 243964 mm-3. The peripheral part of the granuloma was predominantly infiltrated by lymp-hocytes, making 93% of all cellular elements. Caseous necrosis was registered in 13% of the granulomas, and acid resistant bacilli in 11% of the biopsy samples. The mean numerical density of all cells in the central part of the tuberculous granuloma was 84151 mm-3, with predominating lymphocytes and epithelioid cells. The mean numerical density of all cells in the peripheral part of the granulo-ma was 243964 mm-3, with predominating lymphocytes, making 93%. Caseous necrosis and acid-resistant bacilli were registered in every eighth granuloma.