Mascarenhas MI, Pacheco S, Silvestre C, Felix F, Brito MJ, Correia P. Giant tuberculoma in an adolescent: atypical form of tuberculosis.
BMJ Case Rep 2012;
2012:bcr-2012-006872. [PMID:
23001104 DOI:
10.1136/bcr-2012-006872]
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Abstract
A tuberculoma is a rare form of presentation of tuberculosis (TB) in children. We describe the case of a 13-year-old girl, with 3 weeks of progressive tiredness and asthenia and a 48 h fever and cough. Physical examination revealed diminished pulmonary sounds in the left lower hemithorax. A chest radiograph showed an oval hypotransparency image in this location. The TB skin test was anergic and sputum was negative for acid-fast bacilli (AFB). The thoracic CT revealed a cystic mass in the left lower half hemithorax, compressing the adjacent pulmonary lobe, with double non-calcificated membrane. The exeresis of the pulmonary mass was performed and the anatomopathological study revealed a tuberculoma with AFB. TB treatment was established with a favourable clinical and radiological evolution. TB is a prevalent disease around the world. In this case, due to the mass dimensions and adjacent-organ compression, surgery was essential for a favourable clinical evolution.
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