Type:
Educational Exhibit
Keywords:
Infection, AIDS, Diagnostic procedure, Contrast agent-intravenous, CT, Abdomen
Authors:
P. G. Oliveira, C. Ferreira, M. Cruz, C. Ruivo, L. Curvo Semedo, J. Ilharco, F. Caseiro Alves; Coimbra/PT
DOI:
10.1594/ecr2018/C-3115
Background
Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death and illness in the world,
remaining a healthcare challenge.
The abdomen is the most common extra-pulmonary site of infection,
accounting for 4-9% of cases,
with the solid viscera being affected more often than the gastrointestinal tract.
Abdominal tuberculosis can be asymptomatic or cause non-specific symptoms such as weight loss,
fever or abdominal pain.
In the abdomen,
tuberculosis tends to be more often found and disseminated in immunosuppressed patients,
namely with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Abdominal tuberculosis can develop from reactivation of a dormant focus in the abdomen following haematogenous spread during an earlier primary infection,
haematogenous or lymphatic spread from current active tuberculosis,
ingestion of the pathogen or by direct extension from adjacent involved tissues.