Looking beyond appearances: when liver biopsy is the key for hepatic tuberculosis diagnosis
- 1 May 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by BMJ in BMJ Case Reports
- Vol. 13 (5), e234491
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-234491
Abstract
Primary hepatic tuberculosis is a rare clinical entity with non-specific clinical and imaging features that can mimic other liver diseases, representing a diagnostic challenge. We report a case of a 35-year-old man with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and high alcohol consumption presenting asymptomatic with abnormal liver tests, hepatosplenomegaly and diffuse hepatic steatosis in ultrasound imaging initially suspected to be alcoholic steatohepatitis but later diagnosed as hepatic tuberculosis in the histological specimen. Anti-tuberculosis therapy was started. This clinical case highlights the diagnostic difficulty of hepatic tuberculosis and the importance of not overlooking liver biopsy and to consider it in the differential diagnosis in patients with obvious hepatic injury factors but with atypical clinical presentation.This publication has 18 references indexed in Scilit:
- Primary hepatic tuberculosis: A rare occurrenceAnnals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, 2019
- Imaging appearances of hepatic tuberculosis: experience with 12 patientsClinical Radiology, 2018
- TuberculosisThe New England Journal of Medicine, 2013
- Primary hepatic tuberculosis: A rare but fatal clinical entity if undiagnosedAsian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine, 2012
- Primary nodular hepatic tuberculosis mimicking hepatic neoplasia in an immunocompetent host.The Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2009
- TuberculosisThe Lancet, 2007
- Localized hepatic tuberculosisEuropean Journal of Internal Medicine, 2003
- Fulminant hepatic failure caused by tuberculosis.Gut, 1995
- Primary macronodular hepatic tuberculosis: US and CT appearancesAbdominal Radiology, 1990
- Tuberculosis Hepatitis: A Clinical Review of 96 CasesQJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 1984