Related Experiment Videos
Pancreatic tuberculosis
Naoya Sanabe1, Yoshito Ikematsu, Yoshiro Nishiwaki
1Department of Surgery, Hamamatsu Medical Center, 328 Tomitsuka, Hamamatsu 432-8580, Japan.
Journal of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
|December 17, 2002
Summary
This case study highlights a rare instance of pancreatic tuberculosis mimicking pancreatic cancer. Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) aided in diagnosing this unusual presentation of Mycobacterium infection.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Oncology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Pancreatic cancer is a common malignancy with significant mortality.
- Tuberculosis (TB) is a global infectious disease, but pancreatic involvement is rare.
- Differentiating pancreatic TB from pancreatic cancer can be diagnostically challenging.
Observation:
- A 63-year-old man presented with fever of unknown origin and imaging suggestive of pancreatic carcinoma.
- Tuberculin skin test was positive, raising suspicion for tuberculosis.
- Molecular tests for Mycobacterium ruled out pulmonary and miliary TB.
Findings:
- Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) revealed abnormal uptake in the pancreas and chest.
- Histological and microbiological examination post-distal pancreatectomy confirmed Mycobacterium infection, not carcinoma.
- This confirmed a rare case of pancreatic tuberculosis.
Implications:
- FDG-PET can be a valuable tool in diagnosing unusual presentations of pancreatic infections.
- Awareness of pancreatic tuberculosis is crucial for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
- This case underscores the importance of considering infectious etiologies in pancreatic lesions, even when malignancy is suspected.