title: The air-fluid level in cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: Pulmonary tuberculosis has long been associated with the formation of cavities in the lung. Many reports in the literature indicate that the occurrence of air-fluid levels in tuberculosis is unusual. The authors present 18 cases of proved active cavitary tuberculosis where air-fluid levels occurred during the active phase of the disease. The consideration of tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of an air-fluid containing pulmonary cavity is emphasized and the pathogenesis of cavity formation is discussed.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008169:Lung Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*