Fissural Pleural Effusion Presenting As ‘Pseudotumor Lung, Phantom Tumour or Round Pneumonia’ In Primary Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Bronchoscopy is Point of Care Test in Presence of Satellite Nodules in Chest Imaging!

Abstract

Pulmonary Tuberculosis has diverse radiological presentations such as consolidation, cavitation, airway disease, pleural effusion and lymphadenopathy. Pneumonia-like presentation in tuberculosis is very commonly reported in Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Fissural effusion is common in cardiac failure and isolated fissural effusion is rarely described in literature with etiology as tuberculosis. Round pneumonia is commonly described in pediatric cases with community acquired pneumonia and also frequently reported in childhood pulmonary tuberculosis. Round pneumonia is very infrequently reported in adults with pneumonia and to very few published data as due to tuberculosis. In this case report, a 21-year female, presented with constitutional symptoms for 3 months duration with partial response to medical treatment received in line with pneumonia, bronchial asthma and bronchitis. Radiological investigations documented round opacity in right mid-zone with no adventitious breath sound on clinical examination. Recurrent, progressive and partially responding constitutional symptoms was the reason for referral to our center. We have further evaluated with HRCT thorax and documented loculated right horizontal fissural effusion with subpleural parenchymal opacity in right upper lobe posterior segment and right middle lobe lateral basal segment with peri-consolidation satellite nodules in right posterior segment. We have done bronchoscopy due to negative induced sputum microbiological workup. Bronchoscopy guided BAL microbiological workup documented MTB genome with rifampicin sensitivity in cartridge based nucleic acid amplification test and negative BAL smear for AFB. Treatment initiated with anti-tuberculosis (ATT) and recorded near complete radiological resolution, bacteriological cure after six months with good compliance. High index of suspicion is required while managing these cases with constitutional symptoms and typical radiological features such as ‘round pneumonia or fissural effusion’ in absence of other causes for the same. Fissural effusion or round pneumonia due to tuberculosis is rare in adults but not uncommon. Bronchoscopy is a gold standard test to confirm etiological diagnosis due inadequate or poor quality of induced sputum sample in cases with round pneumonia and fissural effusion. Isolated Fissural effusion secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis is extremely rare in medical literature and this will be first case reported till date.