X-RAY SEMIOTICS OF STERNO-COSTAL TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDREN

The objective of the study: to identify specific features of tuberculosis of the sternum and ribs in children using data of CT scans.Subjects and methods. 16 children at the age from 1 to 8 years old with bacteriologically confirmed tuberculous ostitis of the sternum or ribs or perichondritis of the ribs were followed up; from 2013 to 2015, all of them had surgery in the pediatric surgical clinic of St. Petersburg Research Institute of Phthisiopulmonology. The scans of their computed tomographies performed not earlier than 2 weeks before the surgery were analyzed.Results of the study. Tuberculous ostitis of the sternum and ribs in children is usually characterized by the presence of an extensive destructive cavity with the destruction of the cortical layer and dissemination into soft tissues (clinical examples are given). Sclerosis, swelling of the bone in the affected area, free bone sequestration in the destructive cavity and surrounding soft tissues, described in the literature as typical signs of tuberculous bone lesions, are not often found in tuberculous ostitis of the sternum and ribs in children.