Sputum is a substance comprised of mucous, foreign matter, and saliva that is found in the lungs or bronchial tree. A sputum analysis is a group of tests performed in a laboratory on a sputum specimen obtained from a sick patient. A portion of the sputum specimen is stained and put on a slide for examination of cells and organisms. Another portion of the specimen is put on an agar plate to see if infectious organisms grow and can be identified. Some of the sputum may be placed in special solutions to test for specific diseases.

Sputum
Term	Description	Associated with
Fetid	Foul-smelling, typical of	Bronchiectasis, lung
	anaerobic infection	abscess, or cystic fibrosis
Frothy	White or pink-tinged, foamy, thin sputum	Pulmonary edema
Hemoptysis	Expectoration of blood or bloody sputum; amount may range from blood-streaked to massive hemorrhage	A variety of pathologies
Mucoid	White or clear, not generally associated with broncho-pulmonary infection	Chronic cough (acute or chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis)
Purulent	Pus, yellow or greenish sputum, often copious and thick	Acute and chronic infection
Rusty	Descriptive of the color of sputum (also called prune juice)	Pneumococcal pneumonia
	See Sputum Characteristics

Purpose

The purpose of a sputum analysis is to help identify microorganisms that are causing respiratory disease or infection. The most common reason for obtaining a sputum specimen is to test for infectious tuberculosis. A sputum analysis, however, is also used to identify disease-producing organisms that may be causing pneumonia, bronchitis, lung abscess, or other respiratory disease. A sputum analysis may be used to identify conditions such as: aspiration pneumonia, histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, blastomycosis, mycoplasma pneumonia, plague, mycobacterial infection, and pneumocystic pneumonia.

 

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Further Reading...

Sputum Gross Exam

Sputum Characteristics

Sputum Induction

Induced Sputum