Chest wall tuberculosis: a review of CT appearances

Tuberculous abscesses of the chest wall, though uncommon are not infrequently encountered in countries endemic to the disease. This pictorial review of 14 patients highlights the varied appearance of tuberculosis (TB) of the chest wall on CT. The patients ranged in age from 9 to 55 years (a mean of 25 years) with a preponderance of chest wall lesions in young adults and in females (male to female ratio of 2:5). Cases in which there was no involvement of the chest wall other than of the spine have been excluded. In all cases CT demonstrated peripherally enhancing chest wall collections some of which were accompanied by changes in adjacent bone. Enlargement of intrathoracic lymph nodes with comparatively lesser involvement of lung parenchyma and pleura was also seen.