Radiographic aspects of pulmonary tuberculosis in the adult in Yaounde; Cameroon

ABSTRACT

Radiographic aspects of newly detected and previously untreated pulmonary tuberculosis in 273 consecutive adult patients admitted into the chest unit of the Jamot Hospital in Yaounde over an 8 month period were reviewed. None of the patients had a normal admission chest X-ray image. Lesions localized only in the upper lung fields were seen in 21.3 percent of the cases. In contrast; 64.1 percent of the patients presented with a far advanced and extensive disease characterized by infiltrates with or without cavities occupying a whole lung field or more. Cavitary disease predominantly made of multiple large cavities was observed in 77.7 percent of the cases. Atypical images including pleural effusion; parenchymal nodules; lymphadenopathy and lower lung field disease were uncommon. Despite recent studies suggesting that pulmonary tuberculosis is presenting with atypical radiographic features more commonly than reported in the past; the chest X-ray manifestations of pulmonary tuberculosis in the series were predominantly characterized by a far advanced disease with multiple large cavities