Purpose: To give an overview of 503 patients with tuberculosis (TB) an
d to describe the radiologic findings of chest TB. Material and Method
s: A total of 503 patients with proven TB were reviewed; 266 had chest
involvement. Results: Lung lesions were demonstrated in 214 patients.
Infiltrates in the basal parts of the lungs or pleural effusion were
often primarily mistaken for viral or bacterial infections. (Consolida
tions within the lungs and pleural thickening were sometimes indisting
uishable from malignancy. Positive culture of the sputum without lung
lesions was encountered in 12 cases. Enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes
were demonstrated in 67 cases, 35 without lesions in the lungs. The ly
mphadenopathy could be extensive, and both clinically and radiological
ly indistinguishable from lymphoma. Conclusion: Due to the present inc
rease in incidence of TB and the fact that TB can mimic many other con
ditions, it is important that both clinicians and radiologists have TB
high on the list for differential diagnoses.