Molecular Assessment of Single-Piece Mucosal Biopsies is Highly Reproducible Compared to Transbronchial Biopsies in Lung Transplantation

Molecular assessment of paired, single piece 3BMBs achieves excellent reproducibility in its key scores. TBB scores were less reproducible likely because of tissue heterogeneity and greater anatomic distance between samples. Measurements could be stabilized by combining ≥2 pieces per microarray. Importantly, molecular assessment with 3BMBs or TBBs requires fewer pieces (2-3) than TBB histology, which requires up to ten. These data support continued study of the diagnostic and prognostic utility of 3BMBs in lung transplantation.