Chest X-Ray Findings in Patients with Tuberculosis and Diabetes Mellitus at Prof. Dr. Chairuddin P. Lubis Hospital, Medan

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are major global health burdens with significant bidirectional interactions. DM increases the risk of developing active TB and may influence its radiographic presentation, often resulting in atypical findings. Chest radiography remains an essential diagnostic tool for evaluating patients with TB and DM. This study aimed to describe the chest radiographic findings among patients with TB and DM at Prof. Dr. Chairuddin P. Lubis Hospital, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan. This retrospective descriptive study analyzed secondary data from 124 patients with TB and DM who underwent chest radiography in 2024. Data were analyzed using univariate descriptive statistics to determine the distribution of radiographic findings. Most patients were male (54.8%). Pulmonary infiltrates were the most common finding (83.9%), followed by fibrosis (34.7%), consolidation (27.4%), cavitation (15.3%), calcification (11.3%), and pleural effusion (8.1%). No cases of miliary opacities or tuberculomas were identified. Based on the radiographic extent of pulmonary lesions, moderately advanced disease predominated (74.2%), while minimal and far-advanced disease were observed in 16.1% and 6.5% of patients, respectively. Patients with TB and DM most frequently exhibited pulmonary infiltrates and moderately advanced disease on chest radiographs. The absence of miliary patterns and tuberculomas further illustrates the variability of radiographic manifestations of TB in patients with DM. Comprehensive chest radiographic assessment remains important for identifying atypical pulmonary TB manifestations and supporting timely clinical diagnosis.