Abstract: Objective　To use liquid Mycobacterium growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture method，solid Roche(L-J) culture method and sputum direct smear acid-fast staining test for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis，and to evaluate the application of liquid MGIT culture method in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.  Methods　From November 2010 to August 2011 in Shanghai Songjiang District Central Hospital，1 598 sputum samples were collected from the suspected and confirmed tuberculosis inpatients and outpatients，who were diagnosed again after treatment (828 suspected newly cases and 770 cases from the follow-up patients being diagnosed again)，and all cases were detected by liquid MGIT culture method，solid L-J culture method and sputum direct smear acid-fast staining test.  Results　By liquid MGIT culture method，the reporting positive time of suspected newly cases was (13.63±7.14) d，and the reporting positive time by solid L-J culture method was (28.67±10.04) d，with statistical significance (P＜0.05) . The reporting positive time of the being diagnosed again cases by liquid MGIT culture method was (22.94±9.55) d，and was (28.53±10.40) d by solid L-J culture method with statistical significance (P＜0.05 ). The positive rate of suspected newly patients by liquid MGIT culture method was 32.00% (265/828)，which was higher than those by sputum direct smear acid-fast staining test [14.80% (123/828)] and solid L-J culture method [17.90% (148/828)] with statistical significance (P＜0.05). The positive rate of being diagnosed again cases by liquid MGIT culture method was 9.30% (72/770) ，and was 6.10% (47/770) by sputum direct smear acid-fast staining test without statistical significance (P＞0.05 )，but that by liquid MGIT culture method was higher than that by solid L-J culture method [2.60% (20/770)] (P＜ 0.05). The contamination rate of liquid MGIT culture method [6.57% (105/1 598)] was higher than that by solid L-J method [4.00% (64/1 598)] (P＜ 0.05).  Conclusions　The liquid MGIT culture method in terms of increasing the positive rate and shortening the reporting positive time is better than traditional detection methods，and it is easy to operate without using expensive equipment and suitable to use in the primary hospital.

Key words: Liquid Mycobacterium growth indicator tube culture method, Solid Roche culture method, Positive rate, Reporting positive time, Mycobacterium tuberculosis