title: Value of the lateral chest radiograph in tuberculosis in children.
abstract: The value of the lateral chest radiograph, often considered a useful adjunct in the detection of hilar adenopathy, was evaluated in a prospective study of 449 children assessed for tuberculosis. Of these children 298 presented to the hospital with signs and symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis, while 151 were investigated in a regional clinic solely because they were in close contact with an adult household member on treatment for tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was confirmed by culture in 176 of the 449 children (39%). In 40 of these (23%) hilar adenopathy was visible on frontal and lateral view, in 19 of the 176 confirmed cases (11%) only on a frontal view and in 22 (13%) on a lateral view only. Probable tuberculosis was diagnosed in a further 140 of the 449 children (31%), and hilar adenopathy was visible on frontal and lateral views in 39 of these children (28%), on the frontal view only in 8 (6%) and on the lateral view only in 27 (19%). In the symptomatic children investigated in the hospital, and the asymptomatic children investigated in the clinic, hilar adenopathy was detected on the lateral chest radiograph only in 36 (12%) and 14 (9%) cases respectively. Lateral chest radiographs will considerably improve the accuracy of the diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Smuts
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Beyers
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Gie
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Schaaf
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Talent
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van Zyl
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Donald
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008482:Mediastinum; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*