tuberculosis confirms the diagnosis of TB disease. (However, a positive culture is not always necessary to begin or continue treatment for TB.) A positive culture for M. Therefore, a culture is done on all initial samples to confirm the diagnosis. Acid-fast microscopy is easy and quick, but it does not confirm a diagnosis of TB because some acid-fast-bacilli are not M. The presence of acid-fast-bacilli (AFB) on a sputum smear or other specimen often indicates TB disease. However, a chest radiograph may be used to rule out the possibility of pulmonary TB in a person who has had a positive reaction to a TST or TB blood test and no symptoms of disease. These abnormalities may suggest TB, but cannot be used to definitively diagnose TB. Lesions may appear anywhere in the lungs and may differ in size, shape, density, and cavitation. Additional tests are required to confirm TB disease.Ī posterior-anterior chest radiograph is used to detect chest abnormalities.
NORMAL CHEST X RAY FINDINGS REPORT SKIN
The Mantoux tuberculin skin test (TST) or the TB blood test can be used to test for M. Also, clinicians should determine whether the patient has medical conditions, such as HIV infection or diabetes, that increase the risk of latent TB infection progressing to TB disease.Ī physical exam can provide valuable information about the patient’s overall condition and other factors that may affect how TB is treated, such as HIV infection or other illnesses. It is also important to consider demographic factors (e.g., country of origin, age, ethnic or racial group, occupation) that may increase the patient’s risk for exposure to TB or to drug-resistant TB. People suspected of having TB disease should be referred for a complete medical evaluation, which will include the following:Ĭlinicians should ask about the patient’s history of TB exposure, infection, or disease. If TB disease is in other parts of the body (extrapulmonary), symptoms will depend on the area affected. If TB disease is in the lungs (pulmonary), symptoms may include:
TB disease should be suspected in persons who have any of the following symptoms: TB disease is treated by taking several drugs as recommended by a health care provider. TB disease is diagnosed by medical history, physical examination, chest x-ray, and other laboratory tests. The decision about treatment for latent TB infection will be based on a person’s chances of developing TB disease by considering their risk factors. If a person has symptoms, but a negative TB test result, they should still be evaluated for TB disease.Ī diagnosis of latent TB infection is made if a person has a positive TB test result and a medical evaluation does not indicate TB disease. All persons with either symptoms or a positive TB test result should be evaluated for TB disease. Most persons, but not everyone, with TB disease have one or more symptoms of TB disease.
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