Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a public health problem in both developing and industrialized countries. TB can involve pulmonary as well as extrapulmonary sites. The musculoskeletal system is involved in 1–3% of patients with tuberculosis. Although musculoskeletal TB has become uncommon in the Western world, it remains a huge problem in Asia, Africa, and many developing countries. Tuberculous spondylitis is the most common form of musculoskeletal TB and accounts for approximately 50% of cases. Extraspinal musculoskeletal TB shows a predilection for large joints (hip and knee) and para-articular areas; isolated soft tissue TB is extremely rare. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are mandatory to prevent serious destruction of joints and skeletal deformity. However, due to the nonspecific and often indolent clinical presentation, the diagnosis may be delayed. Radiological assessment is often the first step in the diagnostic workup of patients with musculoskeletal TB and further investigations are decided by the findings on radiography. Both the radiologist and the clinician should be aware of the possibility of this diagnosis. In this manuscript we review the imaging features of extraspinal bone, joint, and soft tissue TB.
Pancreatic tuberculosis can be focal or diffuse. If focal, it presents as a sharply delineated mass located in the pancreatic head, showing heterogeneous enhancement. Lesions are hypointense on fat-suppressed T1-weighted images and a mixture of hypo- and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The appearances of common bile duct and main pancreatic duct are normal. Diffuse involvement is characterized by pancreatic enlargement with narrowing of the main pancreatic duct and heterogeneous enhancement. Signal intensity abnormalities indicating diffuse involvement include hypointensity on fat-suppressed T1-weighted images and hyperintensity on T2-weighted images.
Thickening of the small-bowel wall and mucosa with increased contrast enhancement, depiction of more layers of the small-bowel wall than normal, prominent mesenteric vessels, ascites, and fluid accumulation in the small bowel or together in the small bowel and the colon were the most significant CT findings in three patients with visceral angioedema. Findings appear to be transient.
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