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[Pulmonary tuberculosis--the current radiological diagnosis of an old disease]
A Hlawatsch1, H U Kauczor, M Thelen
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Radiologie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Klinik für Radiologie, Klinikum der Universität Mainz. hlawat@mail.uni-mainz.de
Incidence:
Decreasing numbers of tuberculosis cases in the western countries have led to diminished attention towards this disease. But worldwide, tuberculosis still is the leading cause of mortality due to any one single infectious agent. In the industrialized countries, immigration, growth of low-income groups and increasing numbers of immunocompromised patients, mainly due to the HIV epidemic, supply a reservoir for tuberculosis.
Diagnosis:
Because of the option of a specific therapy, early diagnosis of tuberculosis is crucial for the course of the disease. In cases of multidrug resistant strains, further spread has to be prevented. Radiology with chest films and computed tomography has a central role in diagnosing tuberculosis.
Findings:
However, as the disease produces a broad spectrum of radiographic findings, there are often difficulties in determining the underlying diagnosis. Additionally, there have been reports of atypical presentations of tuberculosis in immunocompromised as well as immunocompetent patients. This article reviews the current state of radiological diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis.