[Computed tomography in the diagnosis of intrathoracic lymph nodes tuberculosis in children].

Computed tomography (CT) was used to examine 48 children aged 3 to 14 years; among them 15 patients were studied for small tuberculosis of intrathoracic lymph nodes (ITLN), 33 for infiltrative and tumorous forms, 19 infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis with progressive positive hyperergic tuberculin reactions or with its variations. Chest CT study of children with ITLN tuberculosis established the precise site of lymph nodal involvement, evaluated the lymph nodes based on their density, homogeneity, the presence of liquid and solid caseous portions, cavities, calcifications, and the affection of the adjacent mediastinal organs. CT data were used to make a differential diagnosis of bulky mediastinal formations regarded as ITLN tuberculosis. It is recommended to consider CT as the method of choice in the complex X-ray examination of children with ITLN tuberculosis.