Abstract
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC? Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a critical global public health problem. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT? Sputum cultures and lung images show a strong association with treatment outcomes, serving as a multi-dimensional approach to identify MDR-TB patients with poor outcomes. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE? The results imply that funds and policy investments should be increased by early monitoring of MDR-TB patients, especially regarding imaging and sputum bacterium. By informing physicians on changes to the therapeutic schedule, treatment outcomes can be improved.