Multiple Tuberculomas in the Brain and Spinal Cord: A Case Report

Abstract

Our experience indicates that antituberculous medication is effective in managing multiple central nervous system tuberculomas. The purpose of surgical intervention is to decompress the cord or brain when progressing neurologic defects occur and to examine the tissue pathologically.

Multiple Tuberculoma Involving the Brain and Spinal Cord in a Patient with Miliary Pulmonary Tuberculosis

“…Arseni and Samtica found only five intramedullary tuberculomas in their series of 210 cases of CNS tuberculosis 2) . Concurrent intramedullary and intracranial tuberculomas are very rare and only 5 cases has been Disseminated Tuberculoma in Spinal Cord and Brain｜HS Park, et al reported so far 6,13,19,21,23) . Thacker and Puri 21) reported a 6-year-old girl who presented with progressive paraparesis in whom imaging revealed intramedullary tuberculoma with incidentally discovered multiple intracranial tuberculoma.…”

“…Thacker and Puri 21) reported a 6-year-old girl who presented with progressive paraparesis in whom imaging revealed intramedullary tuberculoma with incidentally discovered multiple intracranial tuberculoma. Yen et al 23) re-ported a 67-year-old man with known pulmonary tuberculosis who developed symptoms of spinal cord compression. Imaging revealed an intramedullary tuberculoma along with multiple intracranial tuberculomas.…”

“…Among patients with spinal tuberculosis, 55% present with vertebral body involvement, 39% with intraspinal granulomatous lesions without bone involvement, and only 7% with intramedullary lesions 13) . The combination of intramedullary and intracranial tuberculomas is extremely rare and only five cases have been reported in the literature 6,13,19,21,23) . Most cases of intramedullary tuberculomas are subacute with progressive spinal cord compression symptoms.…”

“…Although tuberculosis remains a major health problem in developing countries, tuberculoma involving the central nervous system is still uncommon compared with the involvement of other systems 23) . Intramedullary tuberculomas are rare and constitute only 0.2 to 0.5% of all central nervous system (CNS) tuberculomas 21) .…”

Intramedullary Cervical Tuberculoma: A Case Report With Note on Surgical Management

“…6,7 IMT occurs rarely and usually presents with progressive compressive myelopathy. 8,9 If patients can be diagnosed in the early stage and treated properly, they are expected to have excellent neural recovery. 10 Gadolinium-enhanced MRI is considered to be the diagnostic tool of choice in patients with ongoing inflammation.…”