Diagnostic approach of pulmonary disease in the HIV negative immunocompromised host

The advances in medicine have resulted in increasing number of immunocompromised patients with complications related to their underlying disease or the treatment of these conditions. Pulmonary infectious and non-infectious conditions are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients, and represent a diagnostic challenge. This article reviews the major conditions causing pulmonary symptoms in the HIV negative immunocompromised host. It also discusses the role of the different diagnostic methods, including the recent advances in non-invasive studies, in reaching a diagnosis of pulmonary disease in this patient population.