The Second People’s Hospital of Liaocheng， Taishan Medical College， Linqing 252601， China )［Abstract］ObjectiveTo analyze the correlation  between  sputum smear examination (microscopy ) and bacterial culture results. MethodsSputum specimens were performed sputum smear and Gram’s staining before bacterial culture , and sputum cultured bacteria were also performed sputum smear and Gram’s staining, then observed under microscope. The staining characteristics and appearance of  two groups were evaluated; then further identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests were carried out. ResultsFive hundred and forty pathogens were isolated from 786 qualified samples, the positive rate was 68.70%,  there were 185 strains of Grampositive cocci, 316 strains of Gramnegative bacilli and 39 strains of fungi. The coincidence between the results of two groups was  72.01%(566/786). The sensitivity of sputum smear was 77.78%, specificity 59.35%, positive predictive value 80.77%, negative predictive value 54.89%.ConclusionThere is a high coincidence rate between the results of sputum smear and bacterial culture, which can improve the detection rate of pathogenic bacteria.