CT Findings of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital

Abstract

   Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is one of the communicable disease responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in developing countries. The objective of this retrospective study was to describe clinical findings and CT findings of pulmonary tuberculosis.  Adult patients diagnosed and treated with pulmonary tuberculosis in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital from January 1^st, 2019 to December 31^st, 2019 and underwent CT chest were included. Medical records were reviewed. The chest CT images were analyzed by radiologist who was also the principal investigator. A total 102 patients were enrolled. The study group included 60 males and 42 females. The patients were categorized into 2 groups of clinically diagnosed TB case: B- (n=78, 76.5%) and bacteriologically confirmed TB case: B+ (n=24, 23.5%). The most common clinical finding was chronic cough. The most common CT findings was centrilobular nodule (94.1%) followed by mediastinal lymphadenopathy (76.5%) and tree-in-bud (68.6%), respectively. The majority of the patients had upper lobe involvement. However, there were no significant difference between the 2 groups. The frequency of consolidation increased with the bacteriologically confirmed TB case: B+ (P =0.019).  The CT findings are helpful for diagnosis in both clinically diagnosed TB case: B- and bacteriologically confirmed TB case: B+