Tuberculosis is diagnosed using a combination of clinical evaluation, imaging, and laboratory tests. Doctors often begin with a chest X-ray or CT (computed tomography) scan to look for signs of infection in the lungs. Laboratory confirmation involves detecting the bacterium through sputum tests—typically using microscopy, cell culture, or molecular analysis—that identify the organism or its genetic material. Additional tests may include the tuberculin test or interferon-gamma release assays, which help determine whether a person has been infected, though they do not distinguish between active and latent disease.
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