Tuberculosis from Head to Toe

Tuberculosis can affect virtually any organ system in the body and can be devastating if left untreated. The increasing prevalence of tuberculosis in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals in recent years makes this disease a topic of universal concern. Because tuberculosis demonstrates a variety of clinical and radiologic findings and has a known propensity for dissemination from its primary site, it can mimic numerous other disease entities. Primary pulmonary tuberculosis typically manifests radiologically as parenchymal disease, lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, miliary disease, or lobar or segmental atelectasis. In postprimary tuberculosis, the earliest radiologic finding is the development of patchy, ill-defined segmental consolidation. Both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are helpful in diagnosing tuberculous spondylitis and tuberculous arthritis. CT is especially useful in depicting gastrointestinal and genitourinary tuberculosis. In tuberculosis involving the central nervous system, CT and MR imaging findings vary depending on the stage of disease and the character of the lesion. A high degree of clinical suspicion and familiarity with the various radiologic manifestations of tuberculosis allow early diagnosis and timely initiation of appropriate therapy, thereby reducing patient morbidity.