ABSTRACT
Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infective granulomatous disease. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and TB accounts for over 3 million deaths throughout the world per year. This chapter focuses on TB with illustrative radiology, microbiology, and pathology, and discusses the investigation, diagnosis, and management of TB. In order to reduce the spread of disease, there has been a focus on treating active TB and on rigorous contact tracing. Post-primary TB follows direct progression of a primary lesion, endogenous reactivation of quiescent primary or postprimary lesion, or exogenous reinfection. Patients with active respiratory TB will have an abnormal chest radiograph. Active pulmonary TB typically presents in the upper lobes, and can be unilateral or bilateral. Intradermal skin testing can aid in the diagnosis of TB. Patients with active disease usually have a strongly positive tuberculin skin test, although the skin test can be negative in patients with fulminant TB.
