Imaging Features of Female Genital Tuberculosis and its Mimics

Abstract

Tuberculosis involving the female genital tract causes significant morbidity in women in the reproductive age group, where it is often associated with infertility. The fallopian tube is the most common part to be affected by the disease. Since female genital tuberculosis is a paucibacillary disease, organisms are often not detected. Therefore, multimodality imaging features play an important role in the diagnosis. A gamut of radiological investigations including hysterosalpingogram, ultrasound, and cross-sectional modalities like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are available in the evaluation of disease. The key imaging differentials vary depending upon the part of the genital tract affected. This review will discuss the imaging appearances of tuberculosis of the female genital tract on various imaging modalities and their differential diagnosis.