Since Soviet times, the diagnosis of tuberculosis has been put on a wide flow: we all perfectly remember the injections of Mantoux. This method, although not very accurate, has justified itself in view of its low cost and generally good results. Fortunately, progress does not stand still, and now there are more effective ways to identify mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Methods for diagnosis of tuberculosis
In order to diagnose tuberculosis , doctors will have to work hard, since the disease is very insidious and it is not easy to detect mycobacteria. First of all, the therapist needs to study the anamnesis and the clinical picture on the basis of the patient's complaints and the symptoms that he has observed. Supplement the data will help with examination, listening and palpation. To clarify the preliminary diagnosis, the following methods are used:
- tuberculin diagnostics;
- fluorography and roentgen;
- microbiological analysis;
- histological analysis;
- cytological analysis;
- instrumental and functional methods;
- immunological method;
- general laboratory research, including blood tests.
All in all is a differential diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, which allows to accurately identify foci of infection, rate of spread of the disease and prognosis. Also its function is to distinguish tuberculosis from other respiratory diseases. The basis of differential diagnosis is the study of lungs using X-rays, as well as one of the other methods.
The X-ray of the patient is sent if the planned fluorography, which should be performed every 2 years, showed suspicious blackouts on the lungs.
PCR-diagnosis of tuberculosis
PCR diagnostics is a component of the microscopic method of research, which involves a thorough study of the smear according to Tsilyu-Nielsen and the general environment of mycobacterium tuberculosis. As a material, the morning slime from the patient's stomach is most often used. This method is good, but it should be remembered that even if it gave a negative result, this is not a guarantee that you do not have tuberculosis. Only a triple test allows us to state this with certainty. Also microbiological diagnostics
How accurate is the diagnosis of tuberculosis from a blood test?
Diagnosis of blood analysis has become possible not so long ago, but to date it is one of the most reliable ways to confirm the presence of mycobacteria in the body. In addition, this method is one of the fastest and most accurate. During the study, special reagents are added to the blood and their interaction with the mycobacteria of the common medium is observed.