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Pulmonary tuberculosis: relationship between sputum bacilloscopy and radiological lesions
Mauro Gomes1, Roberto Saad Júnior, Roberto Stirbulov
1Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. gomesm@uol.com.br
Revista Do Instituto De Medicina Tropical De Sao Paulo
|January 28, 2004
Summary
Radiological chest tuberculosis often shows parenchymal infiltrates and cavities. The presence of acid-fast bacilli in sputum correlates with pulmonary cavities in tuberculosis patients.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pulmonology
Background:
- Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health challenge.
- Radiological imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosing and managing TB.
- Understanding the spectrum of radiological findings is essential for effective patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of chest tuberculosis radiological manifestations in outpatients.
- To correlate radiological findings with sputum bacilloscopy results.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of medical records and chest X-rays.
- Inclusion of 153 tuberculosis outpatients with intrathoracic manifestations and negative HIV serology.
- Data collected from January 1996 to December 1998.
Main Results:
- Pulmonary lesions were observed in 79.9% of patients, with parenchymal infiltrates (36.6%) and cavities (36.0%) being most common.
- Pleural effusion was noted in 18.3% of cases.
- A significant association was found between the presence of acid-fast bacilli in sputum and pulmonary cavities (p = 0.003).
Conclusions:
- Parenchymal infiltrates are the most frequent radiological manifestation of pulmonary tuberculosis, often associated with cavities.
- A strong relationship exists between positive sputum bacilloscopy and the presence of pulmonary cavities.
- These findings aid in the radiological diagnosis and management of tuberculosis.