Magnitude of pulmonary diseases - incidentally diagnosed on autopsy – at largest hospital & medical college of rajasthan -

Objective: A wide histopathological spectrum of preventable diseases can affect lungs. Many times radiological and clinical findings in pulmonary diseases are non specific hence pathology investigations can play important role in prompt diagnosis. In our 4 years cross-sectional study period (January2012- December2015), we have examined lungs of 1715 medico-legal autopsy cases. Objectives: 1. To know the histopathological spectrum of Lung diseases. 2. To know the frequency of pulmonary lesions in respect to age and sex. Materials & Methods: Representative sections from pulmonary lesions were taken and studied with the help of H&E and special stains wherever necessary. Results: The various pulmonary lesions were edema and congestion in 1325 (77.2%) cases, non tubercular pneumonia 137 (7.99%) cases, bronchopneumonia 15 (0.87%) cases, interstitial pneumonia 6 (0.35%) cases. Cases of tubercular pneumonia were 70 (4.08%) and pulmonary malignancies were 7 (0.41%) cases out of total pulmonary lesions. Pneumonias were occupying a large number, next to edema and congestion. Conclusion: The present study reveals the load and spectrum of lung disease in the largest Hospital & Medical College of Rajasthan, where infectious lesions (non-tubercular & tubercular pneumonias) are still the most common preventable causes of morbidity and mortality; hence autopsy study can be of great value in improving the vision and diagnostic setups for better clinical assessment, timely diagnosis and therapy.