Tuberculosis

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Tuberculosis: chest X ray with a focal opacity

Description

Chest radiograph of an HIV-infected patient, CD4 count of <50 cells/µL, demonstrating a focal opacity in the right lung. In this case, the "key" to the diagnosis of tuberculosis was knowledge of the patient's CD4 cell count and recognition that this radiographic presentation can be seen in patients with tuberculosis when the CD4 cell count is low. This patient was ultimately diagnosed with rifampin-resistant tuberculosis by sputum mycobacterial culture.

Credits

Laurence Huang, MD, University of California San Francisco

See related article in the HIV InSite Knowledge Base:
Pulmonary Manifestations of HIV

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