TB Reactivation

 

  • Active TB
    • Inhomogeneous
      • Affecting
        • Upper lobe
        • superior segment of the lower lobe
          • lobar
          • segmental
      • Active TB
      • Reactivation
      • Post primary
        • Characterised by
          • consolidation
          • cavitation
          • miliary pattern
          • lymphadenopathy
          • pleural effusion
      • Healed TB
          • Fibronodular scarring
          • traction bronchiectasis
          • calcified lymph nodes
          • volume loss
    • Position
  • Reactivated tuberculosis (TB) can affect any part of the lungs, including the
    • tends to affect the upper lobes of the lungs more commonly than the lower lobes.
    • but can affect the
    • lower lobes, or
    • both.
  • upper lobe pre-dominance because  of
    • greater oxygen concentration
    • which promotes bacterial growth.

However, it’s important to note that TB can affect any part of the lungs and the location of TB disease in the lungs can vary depending on the individual’s immune status, the strain of TB bacteria involved, and the extent of disease.

  • Reactivated TB
    Multicentric findings showing volume loss and an infiltrate in the right upper lobe (a,b) diffuse infiltrate in the right lower lobe (a,c) in a background of chronic granulomatus nodules (a,b,c)
    Historical Xray from 60 years ago from the teaching collection of Dr Lloyd Hawes
    Ashley Davidoff
    TheCommonVein.net

    68 female Reactivation Miliary TB

Active TB
80-year-old Russian woman who initially presented with a cavitating LUL nodule that was biopsied and thought to represent sarcoidosis, nut subsequently shown to be TB. Axial CT’s shows thickening around the bronchovascular bundles of the middle lobe (red arrowhead – a, b) with post obstructive atelectasis of the lateral segment of the RML (blue arrowhead , a-f)
Ashley Davidoff MD Ashley Davidoff MD TheCommonVein.net
31645cL