Miliary tuberculosis: sonographic pattern in chest ultrasound

Infection. 2016 Apr;44(2):243-6. doi: 10.1007/s15010-015-0865-8. Epub 2015 Dec 11.

Abstract

Miliary tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by a multitude of small nodular opacities on chest radiography. Despite ultrasound of the chest gaining wider acceptance as a diagnostic tool of lung infections, sonographic changes of pulmonary miliary TB have not yet been reported. Here, we describe B-lines and comet-tail artifacts disseminated throughout multiple lung areas and a pattern of sub-pleural granularity as consistent changes seen in lung ultrasound of ten patients with pulmonary miliary TB diagnosed by chest radiography.

Keywords: Chest ultrasound; Diagnosis; Imaging; Miliary tuberculosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Thorax / pathology*
  • Tuberculosis, Miliary / diagnosis*
  • Tuberculosis, Miliary / diagnostic imaging*
  • Tuberculosis, Miliary / pathology
  • Ultrasonography*