The Validity of Classic Symptoms and Chest Radiographic Configuration in Predicting Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Cost-effectiveness of tuberculosis control strategies among immigrants and refugees

“…In the studies summarised in table 2, chest radiography had a sensitivity of 59-82% and a specificity of 52-63% for the detection of active pulmonary TB [35,40,[42][43][44]. The differences in these estimates may be attributed to variations in the gold standard used (e.g.…”

“…number of sputum cultures), as well as the frequency of TB and other pulmonary diseases in the populations studied. Chest radiography is less sensitive and less specific among HIV-infected individuals with advanced immunosuppression [43,44]. If chest radiography has an overall sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 60%, then, with a prevalence of active disease of 1%, chest radiography would have a positive predictive value ,1%.…”

Infection for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in the HIV/AIDS Patients

“…Abnormalities on chest radiographs may be suggestive of, but are never diagnostic of TB. However, chest radiographic may be used to rule out the possibility of pulmonary TB in a person who has a positive reaction to the tuberculin skin test and no symptoms of disease 29,31,32,34 . Summarizing the possibility of TB should be considered in persons who have these symptoms, person suspected of having this disease should be referred for a medical evaluation, which should include a medical history, a physical examination, a Mantoux tuberculin skin test or tuberculosis purified protein derivate (PPD) skin test, a chest radiograph.…”

Hallazgos radiológicos de la tuberculosis pulmonar y su correlación con la presencia de cultivo positivo para Mycobacterium tuberculosis

“…No obstante, existen algunos patrones radiológicos que en la radiografía de tórax se consideran sugestivos de infección por TB. Entre éstos encontraríamos las consolidaciones en el lóbulo superior o las lesiones cavitarias (103). Se ha calculado que la especificidad de la radiografía de tórax para el diagnóstico de TB usando estos hallazgos es del 63%, aunque descartar a aquellos pacientes que no presentan consolidación de localización en lóbulos superiores o lesiones cavitadas disminuye la sensibilidad hasta el 73% (103).…”

“…Entre éstos encontraríamos las consolidaciones en el lóbulo superior o las lesiones cavitarias (103). Se ha calculado que la especificidad de la radiografía de tórax para el diagnóstico de TB usando estos hallazgos es del 63%, aunque descartar a aquellos pacientes que no presentan consolidación de localización en lóbulos superiores o lesiones cavitadas disminuye la sensibilidad hasta el 73% (103). Los pacientes con TB coinfectados por el VIH son menos propensos a tener hallazgos típicos de TB en la radiografía de tórax, especialmente cuando existe una disminución en las cifras de linfocitos CD4 (104), pudiendo presentar un patrón radiológico equiparable al observado en pacientes con tuberculosis primaria.…”