Cytomegalovirus infection remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in marrow transplant recipients. Results of a rapid centrifugation viral culture of bronchoalveolar lavage specimens from 33 marrow transplant recipients with pneumonia were compared with those for conventional viral culture of concurrently or subsequently obtained lung tissue. The centrifugation culture results were also compared to results of cytologic and immunochemical examination of these specimens. Centrifugation culture was positive within 16 hours of inoculation in 22 of 23 (96%) specimens from patients with positive conventional culture of lung tissue. Detection of cells positive for cytomegalovirus by immunofluorescent antibody staining or cytologic identification was less sensitive (59% and 29%, respectively). There was no evidence of cytomegalovirus in specimens from patients without evidence of cytomegalovirus pulmonary infection by any technique. The sensitivity (96%) and specificity (100%) of centrifugation culture of specimens from marrow transplant recipients approach that of viral culture of lung tissue.