Diagnostic value of 99mTc-HMDP bone scan in atypical osseous tuberculosis mimicking multiple secondary metastases

A case of atypical osseous tuberculosis (TB) mimicking multiple secondary metastases on radiologic and nuclear imaging is presented.

To emphasize the contribution of nuclear bone scanning for the assessment of osseous tuberculosis in typical and atypical presentations.

Skeletal locations of TB mostly involve the dorsolumbar spine and diagnosis is often delayed. The presence of multiple TB sites can mimic secondary metastases and biopsy remains the mainstay for final diagnosis.

Clinical symptoms, lab tests, and imaging data are presented. Possible diagnoses are discussed. A review of imaging characteristics in cases of typical and atypical presentations of osseous TB is proposed.

A dorsal spine spondylitis was first diagnosed on a 56-year-old patient presenting neurologic deficit of the left arm. Fine needle aspiration identified bacterial infection but was negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Whole-body bone scan allowed the identification of an asymptomatic sacroiliac lesion, which was accessible to biopsy and gave a final diagnosis.

Nuclear bone scanning should be kept in mind when assessing spinal pain in patients at high risk of TB infection or reactivation.