Radiographic Evaluation of Lateral Chest Wall Soft Tissue Thickness in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Compared with Healthy Individuals in Abuja, Nigeria
Daniel Idoko Odekina, Ibrahim Adamu Yaro, Joshua Oluwafemi Aiyekomogbon, Habiba MomoduAbstract
Background:
Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) exhibits significant rates of illness and death. Most of these deaths occur in less developed countries. PTB is associated with substantial weight loss, a characteristic detectable on chest radiographs.
Objective:
To evaluate the lateral chest wall thickness in patients with PTB compared to normal adult subjects.
Materials and Methods:
This study was conducted over a 6-month period at the Radiology Department of University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. One hundred and thirty-two adults who were bacteriologically proven to have PTB with normal body mass index were recruited as cases. The same number, age- and sex-matched healthy individuals with normal chest radiograph findings were recruited as controls. The radiographs of the participants were reviewed, and the lateral chest wall soft-tissue thickness was measured. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 25.0.
Results:
There was a significant decrease in lateral soft-tissue thickness in cases compared to the controls. The mean total thickness was 8.43 ± 1.38 mm (mean ± SD) for the case as against the control with a mean thickness of 15.49 ± 3.49 mm (mean ± SD;
Conclusion:
The lateral soft-tissue thickness is significantly reduced in patients with PTB as compared to healthy individuals; the same also applies to various soft-tissue components.