Analysis of the causes diagnosed by computed tomography in patients with haemoptysis and normal chest radiograph

Back ground : Hemoptysis is one of the common symptom with which patients attend chest  department.  If chest radiograph is normal  further investigations are necessary to detect the cause of haemoptysis  so that appropriate treatment can be given. The study is taken to retrospectively  analyse the causes diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) in patients with  hemoptysis with normal chest radiograph. Type of study : a retrospective analysis of  pulmonary causes diagnosed by CT scan chest  in patients with hemoptysis and normal chest radiograph admitted and managed in pulmonary medicine department , Kurnool medical college ,Kurnool,AP. Method :41  casesadmitted in pulmonary medicine ward with hemoptysis  and normal chest radiograph and investigated with  HRCT/CECT are taken into the study . patients age, sex, symptoms, reports of CT scan, FOB, sputum for AFB, Grams staining, culture sensitivity for pyogenic organisms and malignant cells werecollected from records. Results: The diagnoses made by CTwere Tuberculosis  In 17,   bronchiectasis in 9, malignancy in 2  copd with pneumona in 2, vascular 1.  CT was normal  in 10 patients. Conclusion : tuberculosis and bronchiectasis (26 cases 63.41%)were found to be  the commonest causes of hemoptysis.In patients with hemoptysis and normal chest radiograph CT helps in early diagnosis . CT being non invasive and detects Tuberculosis, Bronchiectasis , diffuse parenchymal diseases, peripheral masses  Mediastinal and vascular lesions  better than FOB  preferred prior to bronchoscopy.