[Clinical forms of tuberculosis with minimal destruction of pulmonary tissue]

Three hundred and eighty seven patients with pulmonary tuberculosis having single or multiple destructive cavities less than 2 cm in size were observed. Two thirds of the caverns became undetectable 2-4 months after the therapy start. The roentgenograms of the patients were analyzed, the time courses of the caverns were compared with those of lung tuberculomas of the same size and the disease outcomes were estimated. It was concluded that in the cases with small cavities not closing for prolonged periods tuberculomas with destructions in the infiltrate depth or caseous foci with their partial resolution might be suspected. It was indicated that tuberculin therapy increased the frequency of small cavern healing though their significant part closed at late periods which requires development of more efficient methods for their medication. On the whole, the outcomes of pulmonary tuberculosis with minimal destruction of the lung tissue were favourable. The disease progress was stated only in the patients who did not complete the treatment course.