A 45-year-old man born overseas has 2 months of cough, fevers, night sweats and weight loss. Chest radiograph shows right upper-zone cavitation. He

Question

A 45-year-old man born overseas has 2 months of cough, fevers, night sweats and weight loss. Chest radiograph shows right upper-zone cavitation. He is clinically stable and can produce sputum. What is the most appropriate investigation?

Accepted Answer

Sputum acid-fast bacilli smear, mycobacterial culture and nucleic acid amplification testing

Answer

Single routine bacterial sputum culture only

Answer

Empirical steroids before microbiology

Answer

Tuberculin skin test as the sole diagnostic test

Answer

Repeat chest radiograph in 3 months

Pulmonary tuberculosis — RACP Adult Medicine MCQ

A 45-year-old man born overseas has 2 months of cough, fevers, night sweats and weight loss. Chest radiograph shows right upper-zone cavitation. He is clinically stable and can produce sputum. What is the most appropriate investigation?