Chronic destructive pulmonary tuberculosis: assessment of disease activity by computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: Determination of disease activity of chronic destructive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) on imaging studies can be difficult because several imaging findings due to disease chronicity such as a residual cavity can be misinterpreted as an active disease. PURPOSE: To evaluate computed tomography (CT) findings to predict active disease in patients with chronic destructive pulmonary TB. MATERIAL AND METHODS: CT findings of 36 patients with chronic active destructive pulmonary TB and 78 patients with chronic inactive destructive pulmonary TB were reviewed and their patterns of lung lesions were compared. Statistical comparisons were performed using chi-square and Student's T tests for univariate analyses, and a stepwise logistic regression method was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Based on univariate analyses, cavitary destruction (P = 0.015), non-branching centrilobular nodules (P < 0.001), tree-in-bud pattern (P < 0.001), airspace nodules (P < 0.001), and cavities in other lobes (P = 0.001) were more frequently seen in chronic active destructive pulmonary TB. A stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that tree-in-bud pattern (odds ratio, 52.3; 95% confidence interval, 6.2-437.2; P < 0.001) were significant CT findings associated with active disease. CONCLUSION: Tree-in-bud pattern were the most characteristic CT findings to predict active disease in patients with chronic destructive pulmonary TB.

Iodized oil uptake assessment with cone-beam CT in chemoembolization of small hepatocellular carcinomas.

AIM: To evaluate the utility of assessing iodized oil uptake with cone-beam computed tomography (CT) in transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Cone-beam CT provided by a biplane flat-panel detector angiography suite was performed on eighteen patients (sixteen men and two women; 41-76 years; mean age, 58.9 years) directly after TACE for small HCC (26 nodules under 30 mm; mean diameter, 11.9 mm; range, 5-28 mm). The pre-procedural locations of the tumors were evaluated using triphasic multi-detector row helical computed tomography (MDCT). The tumor locations on MDCT and the iodized oil uptake by the tumors were analyzed on cone-beam CT and on spot image directly after the procedures. RESULTS: All lesions on preprocedural MDCT were detected using iodized oil uptake in the lesions on cone-beam CT (sensitivity 100%, 26/26). Spot image depicted iodized oil uptake in 22 of the lesions (sensitivity 85%). The degree of iodized oil uptake was overestimated (9%, 2/22) or underestimated (14%, 3/22) on spot image in five nodules compared with that of cone-beam CT. CONCLUSION: Cone-beam CT is a useful and convenient tool for assessing the iodized oil uptake of small hepatic tumors (< 3 cm) directly after TACE.