Role of Photofluorography in Navy Tuberculosis Control

¹ The Preventive Medicine Division, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, Washington 25, D.C., Head, Tuberculosis Control Section, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department.
² The Preventive Medicine Division, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, Washington 25, D.C.

A review of 301 newly discovered cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis among Navy and Marine Corps Personnel during 1955 was made. This represented approximately a 90 per cent sample of all such cases discovered during this period. The reasons for hospitalization of these patients included 111 cases (37 per cent) admitted because of symptoms; and 22 cases (7 per cent) discovered to have pulmonary disease after admission to the hospital for unrelated conditions. Of the 168 cases admitted because of abnormal 70-mm. photofluorograms, 102 (61 per cent) were discovered by routine periodic annual examinations as contrasted to 66 (39 per cent) detected at the time of enlistment, re-enlistment into, or separation from the service. A review, or second reading, of all films, which is accomplished routinely, accounted for 18 of these 168 cases.

It has thus been shown in the present study that the majority of new cases of tuberculosis initially diagnosed in the U. S. Navy are discovered by means of photofluorography, and the majority of such cases are detected by the periodic (annual) chest x-ray film.