Granulomatosis with polyangiitis in a patient with a thoracic vertebral lesion: a case report

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a systemic, small vessel vasculitis associated with the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody. We herein report a case of granulomatosis with polyangiitis with paravertebral lesions. A 69-year-old man presented to our hospital with fever, back pain, and myalgia. A computed tomography scan showed multiple lung nodules, while magnetic resonance imaging revealed soft tissue shadows around a thoracic vertebral lesion. A laboratory examination revealed positive myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody. He was diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis. He was treated with oral glucocorticoid and intravenous cyclophosphamide, and the shadows resolved. Physicians should consider granulomatosis with polyangiitis in cases with paravertebral lesions.