Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis Mimics Diffuse Metastatic Disease: A Case Report

Background  Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is associated with major diagnostic difficulties as it has many atypical symptoms and its imaging findings are similar to those of many other diseases. Case Report  We present the case of a 50-year-old woman with a complex cystic mass in her pelvis and a 2-month history of pain. Thoracoabdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed the following: (1) multiple supraclavicular, axillary, mediastinal, and abdominal pathologic lymph nodes with central hypoattenuation; (2) sternal and dorsal vertebral bone destruction with a soft tissue mass; and (3) multiple hypoattenuating masses in the liver. ¹⁸ F-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( ¹⁸ F-FDG PET/CT) revealed pathologic uptake in the defined areas, which were similar to metastases. Chest X-ray was normal. Diffuse metastatic disease was suspected clinically, but careful analysis of the imaging findings and the final pathologic results revealed multisystemic extrapulmonary TB. Clinical and radiological recovery was significant after anti-TB treatment at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusion  Extrapulmonary TB without pulmonary involvement is associated with major diagnostic difficulties, especially with PET-CT. However, recognition and understanding of the CT or MR imaging spectrum can aid in the correct diagnosis and management of the disease.