ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To assess the clinical value of sonography for the follow-up of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 21 children (9 boys, 12 girls) with a mean age of 6 years (range, 7.4 months to 18 years) who had a positive intradermal tuberculin skin test. All patients underwent thorough history-taking, physical examination, frontal and lateral chest radiographs, and sonographic study of the mediastinum. The mediastinum was accessed through the suprasternal and left parasternal approaches. The presence of 1 or more masses with an ovoid or round shape and hypoechoic appearance in the anterior or middle mediastinum was recorded. A comparison was made between the results of the sonographic examination of the mediastinum before administration of anti-TB agents and after 3 months of treatment. RESULTS: Pulmonary radiographic findings were suggestive of TB in 17 patients and were uncertain in 4 patients. Sonographic examination, however, detected mediastinal lymphadenopathy in all patients. A comparison of pretreatment mediastinal sonograms with those obtained after 3 months of anti-TB treatment showed a marked reduction of lymph node involvement in 17 patients (80.9%). In the remaining 4 patients, mediastinal lymphadenopathy was still present. CONCLUSION: Mediastinal sonography appears to be a valuable tool for the diagnosis of TB and in the monitoring of response to treatment in children.
Subject(s)
Mediastinal Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Tuberculosis, Lymph Node/diagnostic imaging , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/diagnostic imaging , Ultrasonography, Interventional , Adolescent , Antitubercular Agents/therapeutic use , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Infant , Male , Mediastinal Diseases/drug therapy , Mediastinal Diseases/etiology , Predictive Value of Tests , Radiography, Thoracic , Retrospective Studies , Spain , Treatment Outcome , Tuberculosis, Lymph Node/drug therapy , Tuberculosis, Lymph Node/etiology , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/complications , Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/drug therapyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Lymphadenopathy, with or without parenchymal abnormality, is the radiological hallmark of primary tuberculosis (TB) in children. However, lymph node enlargement may pass undetected on plain chest radiographs. Ultrasonography provides complementary information to that obtained by radiographs. OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical value of US for the detection of mediastinal lymphadenopathy in children with a positive intradermal tuberculin test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two children with a mean age of 6 years and a positive Mantoux test underwent chest radiography (frontal and lateral) and US (suprasternal and left parasternal access routes). Chest CT was performed at the discretion of the attending physician in six cases. RESULTS: Eleven children had clinical symptoms and 90% a recent contact with a person with active TB. In 90.5% of children with chest radiographic images compatible with TB, coincident findings in the mediastinal US study were found. By comparison, 66.7% of those with normal chest radiography had evidence of mediastinal lymphadenopathy on the US scan. In all cases but one, US and CT findings agreed. CONCLUSIONS: Mediastinal US is useful for the detection of enlarged lymph nodes in children with a positive tuberculin reaction and normal chest radiography.
