Imaging findings of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract

Tuberculosis remains a global public health problem over the past decades. Mycobacterium tuberculosis affect the lungs causing pulmonary tuberculosis and may affect other organs causing extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Organs most commonly affected are the central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, spleen, liver, musculoskeletal and genitourinary systems. Various findings of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis are established by different imaging modalities. The aim of our research is to study the distribution and imaging findings of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis among Saudi and non-Saudi patients in King Abdulaziz university hospital. Retrospective study included 446 patients, 248 males and 198 females presented with both pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB ranging in age from 9 months to 102 years. Data were collected and statistically analyzed using SPSS program. The incidences of pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB are 74% and 19.7% respectively while 6.3% have both patterns. Pneumonic consolidation is the most dominant findings with pulmonary tuberculosis (43%). Brain is the most frequently affected organ with extrapulmonary tuberculosis (35.6%). Both pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis are more dominant in non- Saudi patients compared to Saudis. Radiological investigations play a crucial role in evaluation of various types of tuberculosis including computed tomography, plain X ray, Ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging.