• M Montuori, F Casella, G Casazza, F Franzetti, P Pini, C Invernizzi, D Torzillo, G Rizzardini, M Galli, and C Cogliati.
• Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences "Luigi Sacco" University of Milan, ASST-FBF-Sacco, Italy. Electronic address: michelemontuori6@gmail.com.
• Eur. J. Intern. Med. 2019 Aug 1; 66: 29-34.

ObjectivesThe validity of lung ultrasound (LUS) in the diagnosis of interstitial or focal lung pathologies is well documented, we assessed its accuracy in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).MethodsSonographic signs suggestive of PTB and their diagnostic accuracy were evaluated in patients admitted with clinical suspicion of PTB. Consolidations, subpleural nodules, pleural thickenings or irregularities and pleural effusion were assessed. LUS signs significantly associated with PTB in the univariate analysis (p < .05) were entered in a multivariate logistic regression model.ResultsPTB was confirmed in 51 out of 102 patients. Multiple consolidations (OR 3.54, 95%CI 1.43-8.78), apical consolidations (OR 9.65, 95%CI 3.02-30.78), superior quadrant consolidations (OR 4.01, 95%CI 1.76-9.14), and subpleural nodules (OR 5.29, 95%CI 2.27-12.33) were significantly associated with PTB diagnosis. Apical consolidation (OR 9.67, 95%CI 2.81-33.25, p 0.003) and subpleural nodules (OR 5.30, 95%CI 2.08-13.52, p 0.005) retained a significant association in a multivariate model, with an overall accuracy of 0.799.ConclusionsOur data suggest a possible role of LUS in the diagnosis of PTB, a high burden pathological condition for which the delay in diagnosis still represents a critical point in the control of the disease.Copyright © 2019 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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