title: Correlation of the results of X-ray and sputum culture in tuberculosis prevalence surveys.
abstract: In the course of 6 tuberculosis prevalence surveys carried out in South Africa, 5477 persons were investigated by sputum culture and chest X-ray. The X-ray was reported to show evidence of tuberculosis in 723 cases, and of these the sputum culture was positive in only 100 (13.8%). The sputum culture was also positive in another 76 (1.5%) cases in which the chest X-ray was negative. The reasons for these discrepancies are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008400:Mass Chest X-Ray; D013019:South Africa; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology