Clinical and radiological features of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background: Data regarding the radiological and clinical features of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) are limited. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate the clinico-radiological features of PTB in patients with IPF. Methods: Clinico-radiological variables were retrospectively compared between PTB patients with and without IPF (TB-IPF and TB-control, respectively), and computed tomography (CT) findings were compared between the TB-IPF group and patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease and IPF (NTM-IPF). Results: Of 609 IPF patients, 28 (4.6%) were diagnosed with PTB. In the TB-IPF group, incidental radiological finding was the most common presenting manifestation, and the rate of treatment success was significantly lower than in the TB-control group. On CT scan, the typical locations of reactivated PTB were significantly less often involved in the TB-IPF group than in the TB-control group. The TB-IPF group exhibited a significantly lower frequency of centrilobular nodules and a higher rate of consolidation-predominant pattern than did the TB-control group. CT findings in the TB-IPF group were similar to those in the NTM-IPF group. Conclusions: Incidental radiological findings were the most common presenting manifestations in TB-IPF patients, who were more likely to present with atypical PTB manifestations on CT scan and who experienced poorer treatment outcomes.