Medical Imaging Utilization (Chest X-Ray) among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients Undergoing Directly Supervised Treatment

Tuberculosis (TB) is still among the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the Philippines. This study looked into the prevalence of failure of sputum test to detect the presence of PTB signs but which were detected in chest X-ray. A descriptive design was employed through a qualitative method with key informant interviews and document reviews. Results revealed a success rate of 24 or 85.71% in sputum test of 28 patients. However, the 14.29% cases are not detected by sputum test but were confirmed by chest X-ray exam with a relative risk factor of 122 for every 1000 population. The interview revealed that quality of sputa is the top most reason for failure along with the fewer sample collection related to the barangay health worker’s workload. The failure of the sputum test is greatly affected by the quality of the sputa collected and the inability of the patient to expectorate. A combination of both sputum test and chest X-ray examination yielded a more confirmatory diagnosis and is highly recommended. The researcher recommends the drafting of a policy on the use of both sputum test and chest X-ray examination to improve case detection. These procedures may be performed for patients who may be asymptomatic, symptomatic and presumptive for PTB.

 

Keywords: Pulmonary tuberculosis, sputum test, chest x-ray, key informant interview, policy assessment