官方信息:Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) requires all individuals applying for permanent residency and certain individuals applying for temporary residency to undergo an immigration medical examination (IME) before arrival. This examination includes a chest x-ray for applicants >11 years of age. The objective of this IME is to detect active TB in immigrants prior to arrival in Canada toensure that they are treated and are no longer infectious on arrival. This screening program does not aim to detect or treat latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI).
Chest x-rays are examined by a local radiologist in the country of origin. CIC, in consultation with Canadian TB specialists, assesses chest x-rays for characteristics of active TB disease or “inactive” infection. CIC identifies “old healed” or “inactive”1 pulmonary TB as follows:
a. history of treated active TB and/or
b. abnormal chest x-ray suggestive of TB and
i) two chest x-rays taken at an interval of three months apart with stable appearance and three negative sputum smears and cultures; or
ii) two chest x-rays taken at an interval of six months apart with stable appearance