Chest computed tomography scan as an initial diagnostic method for tuberculosis infection detected by mass screening

Background/aims: We assessed the diagnostic yield of chest computed tomography (CT) as an initial diagnostic method for patients with a tuberculosis (TB) infection detected by mass screening in a country with an intermediate TB burden.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with TB infection detected by mass screening performed between January 2015 and March 2018. The patients were classified according to whether they had a chest X-ray (CXR) or CT scan as an initial diagnostic test to exclude active TB.

Results: Of 542 patients with TB infection detected by mass screening, 222 and 320 were initially examined by CXR and CT, respectively; the two modalities showed no significant difference in rate of detection of patients with active TB (0.9% and 2.5%, respectively; p = 0.110). However, chest CT was associated with further invasive tests using bronchoscopy and respiratory specimens, and significantly increased the frequency of hospital visits.

Conclusion: Chest CT was not supported as an initial diagnostic method to rule out active TB in patients with a TB infection detected by mass screening in a country with an intermediate TB burden.