Histopathological Findings of Lung in Autopsy – A Study of 450 Cases

Abstract

Background:   Autopsy aids to the knowledge of pathology by unveiling the rare lesions which are a source of learning from a pathologist’s perspective, some of them are only diagnosed at autopsy as they do not cause any functional derangement. Many millions of people around the world suffer from preventable pulmonary diseases. The clinical and radiological findings in most of the respiratory diseases are nonspecific and correct diagnosis cannot be made solely from them. Histopathological examination serves the purpose in such cases. This study emphasizes the various incidental lesions which otherwise would have been unnoticed during a person’s life.
Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the spectrum of histopathological findings including neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions of Lung related or unrelated to the cause of death.
 
Material and Method: The study was done on 450 lung specimens from autopsy cases received in this department over the period of 24 months, out of which specimen received were autolysed so excluded from study, are  to determine the spectrum of histopathological findings including neoplastic lesions related or unrelated to the cause of death
Result: During the period between June 2017 to June 2019, a total of 450 lungs from autopsy specimens were studied. Lung diseases were more common in males as compared to females. Most common lung pathological findings were of tuberculosis (16.7%), pneumonia (9.6%) emphysema (1.3%) and malignant lesions (1.1%) among the cases studied.
Conclusion: Advances in diagnostic technology have not reduced the value of autopsy and a goal-directed autopsy remains a vital component in the study and evaluation of the disease process. There are large numbers of cases of preventable respiratory diseases. This indicates that the autopsy has remained an important complementary tool for identifying and understanding respiratory diseases despite recent advances in diagnostic technology.