Keywords
Pulmonary tuberculosis
Consolidations
Ill-defined nodules
How to Cite
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex mycobacterial species cause pulmonary tuberculosis. The majority of instances of mycobacterium tuberculosis are caused by this species; however, other species, such as Mycobacterium africanum, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium microti, and Mycobacterium canettii, can also produce a condition similar to this one. When a person with active tuberculosis coughs, sneezes, or speaks, tiny droplets of 1 to 5 μm in diameter can be released into the air and stay suspended for several hours. This is how airborne mycobacteria are spread.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of High-Resolution Computed Tomography in evaluation of disease activity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.
METHODOLOGY
This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in the Hafizabad DHQ Hospital. The method of convenient sampling was applied. 55 patients with probable pulmonary tuberculosis who were referred from a chest X-ray to an HRCT chest were included in our four-month study. Following informed consent, data from 16 slices of the Toshiba CT was gathered.
RESULTS
There were 25 female patients and 30 male patients in our study. Approximately 50 years old was the average age at presentation. It was discovered that the presence of trees in buds (38.2%), ill-defined nodules (30.9%), and consolidation (40%) had a strong predictive value for identifying disease activity. There were related findings: ground glass opacity (7%), atelectasis (7%), and traction bronchiectasis (12%). The results indicated inactive disease: calcified granulomas (7%) and atelectasis (7%).
CONCLUSION
The HRCT has a higher sensitivity for distinguishing between active and inactive illness, it can be useful in both diagnosis and treatment. Consolidation, tree-in-bud look, and poorly defined nodules were the best markers of active illness. It was discovered that combining the indications increased the prediction value