[Pulmonary tuberculosis in adults: radiological aspects before starting treatment]

We studied chest radiological images in 69 patients with tuberculosis, 4 of them were affected by HIV-infection. The sex ratio was 2.63. We observed 177 abnormal pulmonary images associated in different ways. Bilateral and diffuse radiological signs were noted. Tubercular cavern was the most frequent image (92.90%). It corresponded to a clear circular and oval image surrounded with a regular wall. It can locate in lesional source or healthy parenchyme. Caverns size was situated between 10 to 80 mm. The reticular and nodular infiltration (69%) as indicated associated linear and micro-nodular images. Lobar pneumoniae (44.90%) and segmental pneumoniae (4.30%) corresponded to alveolar lesions showing an opaque and homogeneous tonality image limited by seizures. They were retractile (P = 0.015). Principal mediastinal signs were relative to the presence of adenopathies (11.6%) associated with pleuropulmonary images. Four patients (5.79%) presented tuberculosis association with positive HIV serology. These patients did not present any radiological particularity. They did not show mediastinal adenopathies aspects. Pleural images better corresponded to a localize pachypleurite (13 cas) than a liquid extravasation (8 cases).