Giant tuberculoma in an adolescent: atypical form of tuberculosis

Mascarenhas, MI; Pacheco, S; Silvestre, C; Felix, F; Brito, MJ; Correia, P

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.10/896

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Abstract(s)

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&emsp14;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.