Therapeutic effects of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the elderly after antituberculosis therapy evaluated by low-dose Computed Tomography / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of antituberculosis therapy in elderly patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis by low-dose computed tomography (CT).Methods Forty-seven elderly patients diagnosed as smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis were rechecked with low-dose chest CT scan (120 kV, 20 mAs) after 1-12 months of antituberculous therapy respectively. These images were compared with common CT before treatment (120 kV, 200-280 mAs). Results In the elderly patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis, the most common CT signs before treatment were acinus consolidation (100%) and lobar or segmental consolidation (77%), but the cavity was seen less. After effective antituberculous therapy, tree-inbud was improved after one to three months, the acinus consolidation and lobular or segmental consolidations were improved after four to nine months, and the cavitations were slowly improved after six months. Conclusions Low-dose CT can provide sufficient information for the therapeutic effects of antituberculous therapy of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the elderly and could be used for rechecking.