Tuberculosis from Head to Toe

Abstract

Tuberculosis can affect virtually any organ system in the body and can be devastating if left untreated. The increasing prevalence of tuberculosis in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals in recent years makes this disease a topic of universal concern. Because tuberculosis demonstrates a variety of clinical and radiologic findings and has a known propensity for dissemination from its primary site, it can mimic numerous other disease entities. Primary pulmonary tuberculosis typically manifests radiologically as parenchymal disease, lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, miliary disease, or lobar or segmental atelectasis. In postprimary tuberculosis, the earliest radiologic finding is the development of patchy, ill-defined segmental consolidation. Both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging are helpful in diagnosing tuberculous spondylitis and tuberculous arthritis. CT is especially useful in depicting gastrointestinal and genitourinary tuberculosis. In tuberculosis involving the central nervous system, CT and MR imaging findings vary depending on the stage of disease and the character of the lesion. A high degree of clinical suspicion and familiarity with the various radiologic manifestations of tuberculosis allow early diagnosis and timely initiation of appropriate therapy, thereby reducing patient morbidity.

Imaging findings of Pott’s disease

“…1). The earliest findings are radiolucencies and the loss of definition of the plate margins [1,4,11,14,21,24]. The most common appearance consists of vertebral body destruction (predominantly anterior), loss of disk height, erosion of end plates, vertebral geodes, bone sequestration, sclerosis and paravertebral masses [1,2,10,13,21,23,25] (Fig.…”

“…Paraspinal mass and abscess formation are found early in the disease, being reported in 45-100 % of spinal TB [3,4,14,15,23]. This lesion lies anterolateral to vertebral bodies and expands with tendency for distant spread along the tissue planes and epidural space (Fig.…”

“…Longstanding back pain and constitutional symptoms predominate [2]. This results in delayed diagnosis and increased morbidity due to complications such as cold abscesses, sinus tracts, neurological weakness, vertebral collapse and kyphosis [5,14].…”

Cavitary Lung Lesions

“…2) highlighted the thick-walled cavities and their bronchial communication (arrow) suggesting endobronchial spread of an infectious process. 1 On the basis of these findings the diagnosis of postprimary tuberculosis was supposed and confirmed with positive smear and culture results. Human immunodeficiency virus testing was negative.…”

Spinal tuberculomas mimicking spinal dural arteriovenous fistula: A case report

“…Spinal TB accounts for more than half of the musculoskeletal TB. The extradural form of spinal TB is most common [1]. Uncommonly, it can present as arachnoidal, intradural extramedullary and intramedullary form.…”