Computed Tomography Findings in Bronchiectasis at the Bouaké Imaging Centre: A Report on 101 Cases

Introduction: Bronchiectasis has been little described on computed tomography (CT) scans in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with high tuberculosis endemicity. We have described their CT characteristics and associated thoracic lesions in Bouaké. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Bouaké Imaging Centre (Ivory Coast) from January 2020 to December 2024, including 101 patients whose chest CT scans revealed BBD, out of 986 chest CT scans performed during the period. The scans, performed on a 16-slice CT scanner without a high-resolution protocol, were reviewed by three radiologists; the morphological type was classified according to Reid. Comparisons were made using chi-squared tests (exploratory analyses, p < 0.05). Results: The mean age was 48.1 ± 15.4 years, with a slight predominance of males (sex ratio 1.24). A history of tuberculosis noted on the scan request form was the primary reason for the CT scan (32.7%). The cystic form was the most common (60.4%), followed by the cylindrical (28.7%) and varicose (10.9%) forms. The condition was most often bilateral (59.4%) and of mixed distribution (57.4%). At least one associated parenchymal lesion was present in 47.5% of patients. No statistically significant association was observed between the morphological type and demographic variables or the history of tuberculosis reported on the referral form. Conclusion: The bronchiectasis cases examined in Bouaké were characterised by a predominance of cystic forms and a tendency towards bilateral involvement, in a population where a history of tuberculosis reported on the referral form was the primary reason for examination. This profile, interpreted in the light of local technical constraints and the lack of aetiological confirmation, warrants prospective studies combining optimised imaging with aetiological investigation.