| LOWER LUNG FIELD TUBERCULOSIS |
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Sun Bo Song, Suck Young Kang |
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Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea |
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| Abstract |
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The classic dictum that pulmonary tuberculosis is a disease located predominantly in the pieces of the lunge often suggests etiologic agents other than the tubercle bacillus as the cause of isolated lesions in the lower half of the lung fields. Only when tubercle bacilli are demonstrated in the sputum is the correct diagnosis arrived at. The comparatively low incidence of this type of tuberculosis on routine admissions and out-patient clinics have often made the physician unaware of its existence. Eighteen cases were forum, representing 1.16 percent of the total cases. A higher incidence of the disease was found in the second decade of life, with predominance in the right side and a larger number of females were affected than males(2.26 percent versus 0.98 percent). The respiratory symptoms, such as cough, sputum, hemoptysis and chest pain was more prevalent in the selected group than in the general group of tuberculosis. A tendency toward massive expectoration of tubercle bacilli was one of four observation. The incidence of cavity formation was higher in the lower lung field tuberculosis than in the general group of tuberculosis (61.1 percent versus 25.2 percent). The cavities in many cases were smaller than 4cm single and they had rarely fluid level (1case). The association of the parenchymal lesions with pleural effusion was also rare(1 case). No atelectasis was found. Endobronchial disease was present in 6 patients(33.3 percent). |
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