Use of computed tomography to demonstrate the extent of tuberculosis

A group of 15 patients with tuberculosis was investigated by computed tomography to document the extent of the disease at the time of diagnosis. This was compared with information available from the clinical examination. Of the 33 sites of disease shown by CT (confined to the thorax and abdomen), only 17 had been demonstrated by clinical examination and chest x-ray. In addition, 7 patients had cervical lymphadenopathy (an area not scanned). CT shows tuberculosis to be more extensive than would be appreciated by conventional investigation. We think this argues against classifying the disease according to presenting anatomical site.