title: Sonographic findings in gastrointestinal and peritoneal tuberculosis.
abstract: The various ultrasound (US) findings in 90 patients with abdominal (gastrointestinal, peritoneal, mesenteric and lymph node) tuberculosis (TB) studied in an area of high incidence of TB over a 1 year period were analysed. The lesions encountered were intestinal (n = 31), extraintestinal (n = 39), or a combination (n = 20). The extraintestinal lesions included free and loculated ascites (n = 36), localized ascites ('Club Sandwich sign') (n = 4), adhesions (n = 14), peritoneal thickening (n = 14), peritoneal nodules (n = 3), lymphadenopathy (n = 23) and cold abscesses (n = 10)-of these, the presence of fine fibrinous strands in the ascetic fluid, localized ascites and caseous or calcified lymph nodes were highly suspicious of a diagnosis of TB in appropriate clinical settings. The bowel lesions were characterized by concentric bowel wall thickening (n = 31) with ulceration in six. Bowel thickening, when present in the ileocaecal junction and especially when situated in the subhepatic position, was suggestive of a tuberculous etiology. Complex masses in the abdomen pointed to an advanced stage of the disease. US is a useful imaging modality in patients clinically suspected of having abdominal TB for diagnosis and follow-up, although in a few cases differentiation of it from metastatic disease is difficult. When bowel involvement is suspected, barium studies should be performed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, King Edward Memorial Hospital, Bombay, India.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Kedar
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Shivde
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Malde
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001201:Ascites / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001466:Barium Sulfate; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate