Purpose
The aim of this study is to describe the most frequent forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) when the lung is not involved or pulmonary imaging is nonspecific.
Although the improvements in diagnosis and treatment,
TB still remains a world health problem,
especially in developing countries.
Etiology,
ways of dissemination
TB is due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis,
an aerobic non-spore-forming bacillus.
The mechanism of destruction is given by cell-mediated hypersensitivity that induces caseous granuloma formation.
The primary site of infection is represented by lung and concerns approximately...
Methods and Materials
The study entails a retrospective observational database analysis in which we evaluate 39 patients (27 female,
12 male; mean age 45 years-old) admitted to Sant’Andrea Hospital or through Emergency Department (56,4%) or by planned admissions (45,6%),
in a period ranged from 2005 to 2012,
in order to appreciate extrapulmonary TB manifestations.
Results
Many different extrapulmonary localizations of TB were observed: 59% at lymph nodes; about 13% involved the central nervous system (CNS); 10% at different vertebral levels (Pott’s disease) associated with paraspinal muscle abscess; 13% at abdomen (four cases characterized by bowel wall thickening and a case of renal TB); 26% of pericarditis (all but one accompanied by coexistent pleuropulmonary disease).
About 51% was Caucasian people (mean age of 67 years old),
49% non-Caucasian with lower mean age (32 years old).
About 49% of all our patients...
Conclusion
The most frequent form of extrapulmonary TB was lymph adenopaty: cervical lymph nodes are the most nodal sites involved.
Unfortunately lymph nodes imaging is aspecific.
Also abdominal TB is a radiologic diagnosis challenge because there is not pathognomic signs.
Extrapulmonary TB remains a radiological challenge and only a more deep clinical and anamnestic knowledge can help radiologist to identify the disease.
Given the lack of diagnostic criteria of extrapulmonary TB,
diagnosis becomes demanding without a high index of suspicion,
thus imaging is a cornerstone in...
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