The Right Frame

• The diagnosis of tuberculosis relies on smear microscopy, nucleic-acid amplification testing (NAAT), and cultures. A positive AFB smear with negative NAAT suggests the presence of a nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM).
• NTM are common environmental organisms and often exist as nonpathogenic colonizers.⁶ The diagnosis of NTM disease requires exclusion of other causes and careful clinical, microbiologic, and radiographic correlation.
• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a multisystem disease often involving the respiratory track and kidney. Pulmonary disease can present with airway involvement, parenchymal nodules, opacities, pleural findings, and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.¹²

Disclosures

Drs. Minter, Geha, Boslett, Chung, and Ramani have no disclosures. Dr. Manesh is supported by the Jeremiah A. Barondess Fellowship in the Clinical Transaction of the New York Academy of Medicine, in collaboration with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).