Incidental hepatic tuberculosis during planned resection of locally advanced ampullary carcinoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is classified according to the site of disease as pulmonary or extrapulmonary. Extrapulmonary TB is less common than its counterpart in which it can be found anywhere in the body including the liver. Similar to ampullary carcinoma, TB liver can manifest with jaundice and deranged liver function tests, particularly in the obstructed biliary systems. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43-year-old gentleman with locally advanced ampullary carcinoma was noticed to have multiple suspicious liver nodules intraoperatively during curative ampulla resection. The surgery was then abandoned after a biopsy. The histology was consistent with chronic granulomatous inflammation. He was then subjected to a Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy procedure after initiation of anti-tubercular treatment. He recovered well with no evidence of tumour recurrence and worsening TB. CONCLUSIONS: A high index of suspicion and quick decision making can help to diagnose a possible extrapulmonary TB masquerading as a malignant disease in a patient with curative intention of ampullary carcinoma.

Hepatic hilar mass in an adolescent: a rare case of hepatobiliary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary tuberculosis is a rare manifestation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, especially in younger patients. The non-specific symptoms and signs as well as the lack of definite imaging characteristics often impedes diagnosis. Definite diagnosis of tuberculosiscan be obtained through histopathological examination; conventional anti-tuberculosis drugs and surgery are the most commonly recommended treatments. CASE PRESENTATION: A previously healthy 15-year-old rural adolescent male presented with a 2-month history of weight loss and fatigue. We strongly suspected a Klatskin tumor; therefore, exploratory laparotomy was performed. However, the microscopical findings revealed a granuloma consisting of epithelioid cells, caseous necrosis, and lymphocytic infiltration, indicating caseating granulomatous inflammation and yielding a final diagnosis of hepatic hilar tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: Hepatic hilar tuberculosis is an extremely rare case; few physicians may have actually treated a case. This report therefore aims to improve the overall understanding of lymphatic tuberculosis of the hepatic hilum.

Secondary sclerosing cholangitis in localized hepatobiliary tuberculosis simulating cholangiocarcinoma: a rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Hepatobiliary tuberculosis includes miliary, tuberculous hepatitis or localized forms. The localised form is extremely uncommon and can mimic malignancy. Still rarer is its presentation as sclerosing cholangitis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 50 year male presented with acute onset jaundice, significant weight loss and elevated liver enzymes with clinico-radiological suspicion of cholangiocarcinoma. A left hepatectomy was done and dilated bile ducts filled with caseous necrotic material were seen intra-operatively. Histopathology suggested localized hepatobiliary tuberculosis with features of secondary sclerosing cholangitis. CONCLUSION: Localised hepatobiliary tuberculosis can cause diagnostic difficulties and its possibility should be considered especially in endemic areas.

Altered Liver Proteoglycan/Glycosaminoglycan Structure as a Manifestation of Extracellular Matrix Remodeling upon BCG-induced Granulomatosis in Mice.

Experimental BCG-induced granulomatosis in mice was used to study changes in the dynamics of individual liver proteoglycan components reflecting phasic extracellular matrix remodeling, determined by the host-parasite interaction and associated with granuloma development. In the early BCG-granulomatosis period, the increase in individual proteoglycan components promotes granuloma formation, providing conditions for mycobacteria adhesion to host cells, migration of phagocytic cells from circulation, and cell-cell interaction leading to granuloma development and fibrosis. Later, reduced reserve capacity of the extracellular matrix, development of interstitial fibrosis and granuloma fibrosis can lead to trophic shortage for cells within the granulomas, migration of macrophages out of them, and development of spontaneous necrosis and apoptosis typical of tuberculosis.

A rare case of isolated macronodular hepatic tuberculosis (Tuberculous) in an immunocompetent patient.

Tuberculosis is one of the most common and well described infectious diseases, with a world wide distribution and a vast spectrum of clinical manifestations. There are three forms of hepatic tuberculosis. Diffuse hepatic involvement with pulmonary or miliary tuberculosis, diffuse hepatic infiltration without recognizable pulmonary involvement is the second form and the third very rare form presents as a focal/local tuberculoma or abscess. In this case report we describe an unusual appearance of macronodular tuberculomas of the liver.

Tuberculous liver abscess in an immunocompetent adult male--a rare presentation.

A 20 year old young male was admitted to our hospital with complaints of pain in upper abdomen right side, anorexia and loss of weight. Ultrasonography of the upper abdomen revealed a hypoechoic area in the left lobe of liver. Entertaining the possibility of pyogenic or amoebic lesion, the patient was started on ofloxacin and metronidazole. Failing to get any response to the therapeutic intervention, ultrasound guided aspiration was undertaken. The aspirated pus did not grow any organism in pyogenic or fungal culture but showed acid fast bacilli in Z.N. stain. The treatment was shifted to four drugs ATT and there was dramatic improvement in the clinical condition. This case is being reported to emphasize that ruling out tuberculosis may avoid unnecessary delays in the initiation of specific anti-tubercular treatment. Also a greater awareness of this rare clinical condition may prevent unwarranted surgical intervention.

Isolated tuberculous liver abscess invading the abdominal wall: report of a case.

Isolated tuberculous liver parenchymal and subcapsular abscesses are unusual,^but an abdominal wall abscess secondary to a tubercular liver abscess is extremely rare. To our knowledge, there is only one reported case of an abdominal wall abscess occurring secondary to a subcapsular liver abscess. We report the first documented case of direct invasion of the abdominal wall from an isolated tuberculous liver parenchymal abscess, diagnosed by imaging, surgical, and pathological findings. Although ultrasonography and computed tomography showed nonspecific hypoechoic and hypodense findings with peripheral contrast enhancement, T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a heterogeneous mass with characteristic hypointensity, suggesting the presence of free radicals produced by macrophages during active phagocytosis in tuberculosis. Although our case is extremely unusual, when hypointensity on T2-weighted MRI is seen, the possibility of tuberculosis should be considered and the results of polymerase chain reaction, culture, and histopathological diagnosis must be taken into account to avoid needless invasive surgery.

The nodular form of hepatic tuberculosis: contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic findings with pathologic correlation.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to describe the ultrasonographic findings in hepatic tuberculosis (TB) after administration of a second-generation sulfur hexafluoride-filled microbubble contrast agent and to correlate these findings with pathologic characteristics. METHODS: Twenty-four hepatic TB lesions in 15 patients were studied with conventional ultrasonography (CUS) and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS). Pathologic characteristics of the lesions were evaluated and were then correlated with enhancement patterns. RESULTS: The appearance of hepatic TB on CUS was variable and nonspecific with respect to the shape, echogenicity, and boundary of the lesions. The diameters of the lesions obtained from CEUS were statistically larger than those from CUS, with largest diameters +/- SD of 4.2 +/- 1.8 and 3.1 +/- 1.9 cm, respectively. During the arterial phase, 13 of 24 lesions (54.2%) showed a rapidly and markedly enhanced rim with a hypoenhanced or nonenhanced center; 9 of 24 lesions (37.5%) showed transient enhancement of the whole lesion with inconsistent intensities. During the portal phase, most lesions showed distinct wash-out of the contrast agent and maintained a hypoechoic appearance. Pathologic studies confirmed that the different appearances of hepatic TB on CEUS were related to the different pathologic stages of the lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of hepatic TB on CEUS may be helpful in differentiating the diagnosis from other hepatic focal lesions. Correlation with pathologic findings would enrich the understanding of CEUS findings in hepatic TB.

Gastric tuberculosis mimicking liver abscess - A case report.

Tuberculosis of the stomach is quite rare, both as a primary or secondary infection. It has varied presentation ranging from non-specific abdominal pain and constitutional symptoms to hematemesis, gastric outlet obstruction and pyrexia of unknown origin. Here, we report a rare, interesting case of locally advanced gastric tuberculosis, which morphologically mimicked liver abscess initially in a young, immunocompetent patient presenting with fever and abdominal pain. The disease was diagnosed by GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay, and responded well to antituberculosis medication without surgery. Clinicians must bear in mind that, even in the absence of immunodeficiency, as in this case, tuberculosis can involve any site in the gastrointestinal tract and may present with a variety of presentation and infiltrating adjacent organ that might be mistaken as malignancy. This is first case report of gastric tuberculosis, which is locally advanced with adjacent liver infiltration initially thought to be left lobe liver abscess.

Isolated perihepatic tuberculosis: imaging findings.

AIM: To review the imaging findings of isolated perihepatic tuberculosis without coexistent active tuberculosis elsewhere in the body. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a 9-year period, six patients with histopathologically proven perihepatic tuberculosis without simultaneous active tuberculosis elsewhere in the body were included in this study. Two radiologists retrospectively evaluated in consensus the location (right, left, or both perihepatic spaces), size (maximum diameter), morphology (ovoid or round), number, attenuation (low-, iso-, or high-attenuation compared with the adjacent liver parenchyma), and the presence or absence of contrast enhancement of the lesions on computed tomography (CT), and echogenicity (low-, iso-, or high-echogenicity compared with the adjacent liver parenchyma) of the lesions on ultrasonography. RESULTS: On CT, an isolated perihepatic lesion was located in the right perihepatic space in five patients, whereas three lesions were located in both perihepatic spaces in the remaining patient. The mean maximum diameter of the isolated perihepatic tuberculosis lesions was 29.7 mm. Isolated perihepatic tuberculosis appeared as an ovoid-shaped, homogeneous, and low-attenuating (n=5) or high-attenuating (n=1) lesion relative to the liver. There was peripheral rim enhancement of the lesion in two patients. On ultrasonography, isolated perihepatic tuberculosis was revealed as a homogeneous, low-echoic (n=5) or iso-echoic (n=1) lesion relative to the liver. CONCLUSION: Although various inflammatory or malignant lesions can be located in the perihepatic space, isolated perihepatic tuberculosis appears an ovoid-shaped, homogeneous, and low-attenuating or low-echoic lesion compared with the liver parenchyma on CT or ultrasonography.

Chest wall abscess: an atypical presentation of isolated tuberculous liver abscess.

The incidence of hepatic tuberculosis is increasing with the resurgence of tuberculosis due to the emergence of multi drug resistant strains and to an increased prevalence of human immune-deficiency virus infection. In contrast, isolated tuberculous liver abscess (TLA) is extremely uncommon with a prevalence of 0.34% in patients with hepatic tuberculosis. We describe a case of isolated TLA in a 32-year-old immune-competent man, who presented with a painless lump in the right posterior chest wall. Fine needle aspiration revealed acid fast bacilli (AFB), computed tomogram of the thorax showed a hepatic abscess in the segments 6 and 7 communicating with the posterior chest wall. The presentation of TLA may be atypical and diagnosis remains elusive unless hepatic involvement is revealed by imaging and AFB is demonstrated in the aspirated pus or necrotic material. Open drainage of the superficial component of the abscess along with antituberculosis treatment resulted in the resolution of the abscess.

[Clinical features of hepatic tuberculosis in biopsy-proven cases].

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: Hepatic involvement is frequently observed in patients with miliary tuberculosis, but primary hepatic tuberculosis with no clinical extrahepatic manifestations of tuberculosis is uncommon. With the ever-increasing number of immunocompromised patients, it is expected that hepatic tuberculosis will occur more frequently. The aim of the present study was to establish the clinical manifestations and course of the disease. METHODS: From January 1989 to September 2008, 12 patients were diagnosed with hepatic tuberculosis by liver biopsy at Seoul National University Hospital. We retrospectively evaluated their clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings by medical record review. RESULTS: Four patients had primary hepatic tuberculosis, and eight patients had hepatic tuberculosis secondary to pulmonary or miliary tuberculosis. Three patients were immunocompromised, and six patients had no previous medical problem. An elevated serum level of alkaline phosphatase was the most frequently observed finding in laboratory tests. Imaging studies showed variable findings, including hepatosplenomegaly, multiple hepatic nodules, abscess formation, and even normal findings. Ten patients responded to antituberculosis drugs, and two cases with tuberculous liver abscess had persistent disease despite prolonged therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a protracted illness, hepatosplenomegaly and/or abnormal liver function tests, hepatic tuberculosis should be suspected, even in healthy young patients or patients with normal imaging findings. Patients with tuberculous abscess formation tend to respond poorly to antituberculosis therapy, and surgery could be considered in these patients.

Primary hepatic tuberculosis masquerading as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Abdominal tuberculosis is a common clinical entity in Indian subcontinent; however, hepatic tuberculosis in the absence of miliary abdominal tuberculosis is restricted to the case reports and small case series in English literature. It mimics common liver diseases like liver abscess and tumours. We report a case of 38 years old male presenting with abdominal pain, loss of appetite and weight initially misdiagnosed as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma on magnetic resonance imaging and FNAC of the lesion but later diagnosed as a case of hepatic tuberculosis on post operative histopathology specimen. It is important to consider tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis when suspecting lymphoproliferative or metastatic diseases in a patient with vague symptoms.

Tubercular liver abscess rupturing into the pleural cavity: a rare complication.

Liver abscesses, either pyogenic or amoebic, with or without the involvement of the pleura, are not infrequently encountered in children. Isolated tubercular liver abscess without active pulmonary, gastrointestinal or other clinical evidence of tuberculosis is, however, rare and more so its rupture into the pleura. We report a case of a 14-year-old girl who presented with a liver abscess rupturing into the pleura causing an empyema. Successful management was achieved by intercostal tube drainage and antitubercular treatment.

Utility of liver biopsy in HIV-infected patients presenting with febrile illnesses and inconclusive evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the utility of liver biopsy in providing a diagnosis in HIV-infected patients presenting with febrile illnesses and inconclusive initial investigative work up. DESIGN: A retrospective descriptive study. SETTING: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. SUBJECTS: Twelve in-patients with HIV disease who underwent liver biopsy following inconclusive initial investigative work up for febrile illnesses between January and December 2007. RESULTS: Seven out of 12 patients had granulomatous hepatitis reported on histology with characteristic tuberculous epitheloid granulomas all having stainable acid-alcohol fast bacilli on Ziehl-Nielsen (ZN) stain. The mean alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) levels in these seven patients were 260 U/L and 304 U/L respectively, while the mean aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (SGPT) were 106U/L and 72 U/L respectively. CONCLUSION: Disseminated tuberculosis is still among the most common causes of unexplained pyrexia in our HIV-infected cohort and a liver biopsy, performed earlier in the investigative work up of unexplained fever in the HIV-infected patient, would be a useful adjunct in providing a diagnosis.

Hepatobiliary tuberculosis in western India.

Tuberculous involvement of liver as a part of disseminated tuberculosis is seen in up to 50-80% cases, but localized hepatobiliary tuberculosis (HBTB) is uncommonly described. During 6 years, a total of 280 consecutive patients with TB were evaluated prospectively for the presence and etiology of liver involvement. Cases with miliary TB or immunosuppression and cases receiving anti-tuberculosis drugs prior to presentation to our unit were excluded (38 cases). Details of clinical, biochemical and imaging findings and histology/microbiology were noted. Of 242 included cases, 38 patients (15.7%; age 38.1 +/- 12.5 years; sex ratio 2.5:1) had HBTB, whereas 20 patients (9%; age 39.3 +/- 16.3 years; sex ratio 2.1:1) had other liver diseases. Diagnosis of HBTB was based on caseating granuloma on histology (18/23 procedures), positive smear/culture for acid-fast bacilli (21/39 procedures) and positive polymerase chain reaction for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (28/29 procedures) when diagnostic procedures were guided by imaging results. Thirty-eight cases with HBTB were classified as follows [patients (n), (%)]: (A) hepatic TB [20 (52.6%)]: (1) granulomatous hepatitis - 10 (26.3%), (2) liver abscesses or pseudotumors - 10 (26.3%) and (3) calcified hepatic granuloma - 0 (0%); (B) biliary TB [15 (39.4%)]: (1) biliary strictures - 2 (5.2%), (2) gall bladder involvement - 1 (2.6%) and (3) biliary obstruction due to lymph node masses - 12 (31.5%); (C) mixed variety [3 (7.8%)]: (1) simultaneous granulomatous hepatitis and biliary stricture - 1 (2.6%) and (2) simultaneous lymph node involvement and calcified hepatic granuloma - 2 (5.2%). All the cases responded well to standard anti-tuberculosis therapy. HBTB forms an important subgroup in TB cases. It requires a combination of imaging, histological and microbiological procedures to define the diagnosis. HBTB responds well to treatment.

Hepatic tuberculosis mimicking Klatskin tumor: a diagnostic dilemma.

Tubercular involvement of liver is rare and usually occurs in association with pulmonary or miliary tuberculosis, as diffuse involvement without recognizable pulmonary tuberculosis or rarely in a localized form, which presents as a tuberculoma or tubercular abscess. We report the case of a 22-year-old boy presenting with features of obstructive jaundice and a clinico-radiological picture highly suggestive of a perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumor), but found to have tubercular involvement of porta hepatis. We review the literature on this unusual presentation, highlight the considerable diagnostic challenge such cases can pose, and also emphasize the need to consider tuberculosis in differential diagnosis of lesions involving the porta hepatis, particularly in areas endemic for the disease.

Localized hepatic tuberculosis presenting as severe hypercalcemia.

Hypercalcemia might present itself in association with granulomatous diseases such as tuberculosis. We report a rare case of a 62-year-old man with hypercalcemia due to hepatic tuberculosis. The diagnosis was based on laparoscopic and a histopathological examination. After treatment with anti-tuberculosis medication, the patient's serum calcium levels were within normal limits. Tuberculosis needs to be excluded as a diagnosis in any febrile patient with hypercalcemia, especially in countries where tuberculosis is endemic.

Tubercular biliary hilar stricture: A rare case report.

Localized hepatic tuberculosis (TB) with or without bile duct involvement is a rare form of hepatobiliary tuberculosis; accounting for less than 1% of all tuberculous infections. We report an uncommon case of cholestatic jaundice with disseminated TB in an immunocompetent male who presented with simultaneous involvement of liver and biliary system.

[A case of asymptomatic primary liver tuberculosis proven by percutaneous liver biopsy].

The patient, an 18-year-old girl, was found to have strong positive purified protein derivative of tuberculin (PPD) test and calcified focus in her liver 2 years ago. She denied fever, cough, sputum, weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, and anorexia. After admission, physical examination, laboratory tests, CXR, abdominal CT, colonoscopy and gynecological examination were all normal except for the liver lesions. Percutaneous needle biopsy was performed under sonographic guidance and pathological examination showed caseous granuloma. She was diagnosed as primary liver tuberculosis and the lesions decreased after 2 months' therapy of isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol. Primary liver tuberculosis could be asymptomatic and manifested as calcified focus; percutaneous needle biopsy and pathological examination is helpful for the diagnosis. The asymptomatic liver lesions are still an indication for anti-tuberculosis therapy.