Clinical manifestations and radiology of thoracic tuberculosis

Abstract

The clinical manifestations of thoracic tuberculosis are highly varied and unspecific, and can be superimposed on that of any other bacterial infection that affects the same organs. What is especially notable is the high frequency with which the primary infection goes unnoticed and the persistence of the symptomology in the secondary infection. This review analyses the most common signs and symptoms and the frequency of their presentation. Thoracic tuberculosis has a series of patterns of presentation and cure that, although equally varied and non-pathognomonic, are on occasion highly characteristic, with their discovery making possible a high level of diagnostic suspicion. We describe all the patterns of presentation of all the classically accepted primary and post-primary tuberculosis and their frequency, as well as the radiological characteristics of the most relevant complications and sequels. The clinical manifestations of thoracic tuberculosis are highly varied and unspecific, and can be superimposed on that of any other bacterial infection that affects the same organs. What is especially notable is the high frequency with which the primary infection goes unnoticed and the persistence of the symptomology in the secondary infection. This review analyses the most common signs and symptoms and the frequency of their presentation. Thoracic tuberculosis has a series of patterns of presentation and cure that, although equally varied and non-pathognomonic, are on occasion highly characteristic, with their discovery making possible a high level of diagnostic suspicion. We describe all the patterns of presentation of all the classically accepted primary and post-primary tuberculosis and their frequency, as well as the radiological characteristics of the most relevant complications and sequels.