Radiological findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in indigenous patients in Dourados, MS, Brazil.

Tatiana Lachi,Mauro Nakayama

doi:10.1590/0100-3984.2014.0070

Abstract

ObjectiveTo describe the radiological findings of pulmonary tuberculosis in indigenous patients from the city of Dourados, MS, Brazil, according to age and sex.Materials and MethodsChest radiographic images of 81 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, acquired in the period from 2007 to 2010, were retrospectively analyzed by two radiologists in consensus for the presence or absence of changes. The findings in abnormal radiographs were classified according to the changes observed and they were correlated to age and sex. The data were submitted to statistical analysis.ResultsThe individuals’ ages ranged from 1 to 97 years (mean: 36 years). Heterogeneous consolidations, nodules, pleural involvement and cavities were the most frequent imaging findings. Most patients (55/81 or 67.9%) were male, and upper lung and right lung were the most affected regions. Fibrosis, heterogeneous consolidations and involvement of the left lung apex were significantly more frequent in males (p < 0.05). Presence of a single type of finding at radiography was most frequent in children (p < 0.05).ConclusionBased on the hypothesis that indigenous patients represent a population without genetically determined resistance to tuberculosis, the present study may enhance the knowledge about how the pulmonary form of this disease manifests in susceptible individuals.

Highlights

Tuberculosis is one of the three leading causes of death by infectious disease in adult individuals worldwide[1], which represents about two million deaths and involvement of ap-1
The present study is in accordance with the ethical standards of the World Medical Association (Declaration of Helsinki). This is a descriptive, quantitative and retrospective study utilizing secondary data from radiographic images and information contained in records of indigenous patients treated for pulmonary tuberculosis in a hospital of the city of Dourados, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
Heterogeneous consolidations were the most frequent finding at the radiographic images in the present study, to the findings reported by Basta et al[33]

Summary

Introduction

Tuberculosis is one of the three leading causes of death by infectious disease in adult individuals worldwide[1], which represents about two million deaths and involvement of ap-. 1. Master, MD, Radiologist, Hospital Regional de Mato Grosso do Sul, Auxiliary Professor at Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS), Campo Grande, MS, Brazil. 2. PhD, Associate Professor at Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados (UFGD), Dourados, MS, Brazil. Proximately eight million people around the world per year[2]. About 50% of the individuals who are not treated die because of the disease[3]. The infection by the bacillus responsible for the tuberculosis – Mycobacterium tuberculosis – is the most common of the human infections[4] and may be found in about one third of the world population[1,3,5]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion