J Korean Radiol Soc.  1996 Jan;34(1):63-68.

CT Findings of Endobronchial Tuberculosis (EBTB) in Adults: Comparison with Fiberoptic Bronchoscopy(FOB)

• Yoon SR
• Jeong WK
• Shim JC
• Han CY
• Kim HK
• Yum HK

Abstract

PURPOSE
To evaluate the CT findings of histologically confirmed endobrnchial tuberculosis(EBTB) and to access their diagnostic value by comparing with the bronchoscopic findings. MATERIALS AND METHOD: We evaluated retrospectively the CT findings of 25 patients(male : female=5 : 20) with EBTB, and classified them into 3 types by their characteristic features, which are compared with the brochoscopic findings. The 3 types of CT features were as follows ; type 1 : central mass-like lesion with coarse calcific spots associated with atelectasis, type 2: caseous pneumonia with air-bronchogram associated with atelecatasis, type 3 : irregularly distorted and narrowed bronchovascular changes.
RESULTS
Comparing the characteristic CT findings with the bronchoscopic findings, they were as follows ; type 1 showed completely occluded lumen by caseous or scar-like tissue with severely swollenmucosa, type 2 showed very thick tenacious mucous plug with anthracotic pigmentation of mucosa, type 3 showed chronic inflammatory change of mucosa with severely deviated or septated bronchial lumen by out-growing caseousgranulation tissue. A tracheal tuberculosis without parenchymal lesion was noted and the bronchoscopy showed caseous materials along the tracheal lumen to the carinal level.
CONCLUSION
The characteristic CT findings ofthe bronchial wall and the changes of the adjacent tissues are related to the tracheobronchial tuberculous involvement. CT is useful for diagnosis of the endobronchial tuberculosis.

Keyword

Lung, CT; Tuberculosis, pulmonary

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Bronchoscopy
Diagnosis
Humans
Mucous Membrane
Pigmentation
Pneumonia
Pulmonary Atelectasis
Tuberculosis*
Tuberculosis, Pulmonary