title: [Frequency of minimal pulmonary lesions as precursors of tuberculosis].
abstract: Numerous studies have referred to the degree of frequency with which so-called minimal pulmonary lesions are the starting-point for active pulmonary tuberculosis. In the present study, which takes the inverse approach, minimal lesions were searched for in medical records antedating the disease of patients treated for active tuberculosis. 343 case histories of pulmonary tuberculosis patients were scrutinized, representing 66% of declared cases among the reference population over a period of 7 years. After stringent selection, 78 case histories were retained as being likely to provide an answer to the question posed: minimal lesions were present in 41% of the cases prior to pulmonary tuberculosis. Although this is a high figure it is a minimum, since minimal lesions exist which are not reflected radiologically.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000209:etiology*
vernacular_title: Fréquence des lésions minimes dans les antécédents des phtisiques.