Abstract

In recent years, diagnosis of bronchiectasis has frequently been performed with High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT). Do we need to use HRCT on every patient we assume has bronchiectasis? How much bronchiectasis can we really diagnose with chest X-ray and auscultation? To answer these questions we have evaluated the chest X-rays, auscultation results and HRCT of 41 patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis. Results have shown that there is a significant relationship among chest X-ray results, auscultation results and HRCT results. We found that the sensitivity of chest X-ray is 0.72 and specificity is 0.79 in the detection of bronchiectasis. Sensitivity of auscultation results were detected at 0.69 and specificity detected at 0.90 as crackles. When we use chest X-ray and auscultation results combined as a diagnostic method it increases the percentage of diagnosis. If any of them are assumed to have bronchiectasis, sensitivity is 0.68 and specificity is 0.75. If we assume that both of them have bronchiectasis including chest X-ray and auscultation results, sensitivity is 0.80 and specificity is 0.95. In patients with clinical bronchiectasis, non-specific results of chest X-ray and auscultation results combined together is sufficient to diagnose efficiently except in clinically unimportant bronchiectasis patients. It is unnecessary to use HRCT on every bronchiectasis case.