Abstract: Objective To assess the clinical value of a rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT) for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy. Methods Mycobacterium tuberculosis antibody in the pleural effusions was determined by a rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT), including 42 cases of tuberculous pleurisy and 29 cases of maligant pleural effusions. Results The overall sensitivity and specificity were 61.9%,96.3% respectively. Conclusion ICT is a valuable aid in clinical diagnosis for tuberculous pleurisy.

Key words: Tuberculosis,pleural, Antibodies,Mycobacterium, Immunochromatographic test