Pulmonary tuberculosis combined with hepatic tuberculosis: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Tuberculosis, a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, may invade all organs but mainly affect lungs. Most hepatic tuberculosis could be a part of systemic miliary tuberculosis.

METHODS

We reported a case of pulmonary tuberculosis combined with hepatic tuberculosis and reviewed the relevant literature.

RESULTS

A 40-year-old Chinese male with fatigue for half a year and cough as well as night sweat for 2 months was admitted to our hospital. The chest computed tomography (CT) showed multiple nodules combined with bronchial stenosis and lymphadenectasis in the mediastina at the right hilum of lung. The epigastrium CT showed lumps in the liver and retroperitoneal lymphadenectasis in the peritoneal cavity. The abdominal color Doppler ultrasound revealed lumps in the liver. The lung and liver puncture biopsy revealed granulomatous lesions, chronic inflammatory changes in the strip-like fibrous tissues and plenty of caseification, all of which suggest the diagnosis of tuberculosis.

CONCLUSION

Hepatic tuberculosis is usually associated with atypical clinical manifestations. Imageological examination combined with imaging-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy may be the best method for the confirmed diagnosis.