The Diagnostic Accuracy of Chest Radiographic Features for Pediatric Intrathoracic Tuberculosis

Abstract Introduction The chest radiograph (CR) remains a key tool in the diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis (TB). In children with presumptive intrathoracic TB, we aimed to identify CR features that had high specificity for, and were strongly associated with, bacteriologically confirmed TB. Methods We analyzed CR data from children with presumptive intrathoracic TB prospectively enrolled in a cohort study in a high-TB burden setting and who were classified using standard clinical case definitions as “confirmed,” “unconfirmed,” or “unlikely” TB. We report the CR features and inter-reader agreement between expert readers who interpreted the CRs. We calculated the sensitivity and specificity of the CR features with at least moderate inter-reader agreement and analyzed the relationship between these CR features and the classification of TB in a multivariable regression model. Results Of features with at least moderate inter-reader agreement, enlargement of perihilar and/or paratracheal lymph nodes, bronchial deviation/compression, cavities, expansile pneumonia, and pleural effusion had a specificity of > 90% for confirmed TB, compared with unlikely TB. Enlargement of perihilar (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 6.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.80–11.72) and/or paratracheal lymph nodes (aOR: 5.14; 95% CI, 2.25–12.58), bronchial deviation/compression (aOR: 6.22; 95% CI, 2.70–15.69), pleural effusion (aOR: 2.27; 95% CI, 1.04–4.78), and cavities (aOR: 7.45; 95% CI, 3.38–17.45) were associated with confirmed TB in the multivariate regression model, whereas alveolar opacification (aOR: 1.16; 95% CI, .76–1.77) and expansile pneumonia (aOR: 4.16; 95% CI, .93–22.34) were not. Conclusions In children investigated for intrathoracic TB enlargement of perihilar or paratracheal lymph nodes, bronchial compression/deviation, pleural effusion, or cavities on CR strongly support the diagnosis. This article identifies key chest radiograph (CR) features that have high specificity for, and are strongly associated with, confirmed intrathoracic tuberculosis (TB) in children. Including this empirical CR data in diagnostic algorithms for pediatric TB may improve performance.