Safety and Accuracy of Alveoscopy in Interstitial Lung Diseases

The study will include 40 healthy smoker or non-smoker volunteers, 20 patients with normal Chest CT scan and normal respiratory function tests, and 90 patients with focal or diffuse peripheral lung diseases.

The Alveoscopy will be performed under local anesthesia, in awake patients during a standard bronchoscopy. The Alveoscopy will be performed on one side of the bronchial tree (left or right lung). Two to ten separate bronchial areas will be explored in each patient, depending on the pathology, focal or diffuse, and the underlying respiratory function.

A continuous monitoring of the Oxygen saturation, blood pressure, EKG will be performed during the procedure. A chest X-ray will be performed after the procedure to eliminate a pneumothorax.

The morphometric parameters of the alveolar microstructure and their variability will be studied according to the age, gender, lung area explored, smoking status in healthy volunteers and "normal CT scan" subjects, as well as in patients with peripheral lung diseases.

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy volunteers: normal chest X-rays and normal lung function tests
• Patients without parenchymal lung diseases: normal chest computed tomography (CT) scan, normal lung function tests, indication for a bronchoscopy
• Patients with parenchymal lung disease: indication for a bronchoscopy
• Written informed consent for the alveoscopy

Exclusion criteria

• Bleeding disorders
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Contraindication for a bronchoscopy
• known hypersensitivity to the fluorescent contrast agent (if required)