title: Unusual presentation of isolated sacral tuberculosis.
abstract: Tuberculosis is as old as mankind. Vertebral tuberculosis is fairly common form of bone and joint tuberculosis. However, isolated sacral tuberculosis is rare. It may present as an atypical sacral lesion having epidural granuloma without destruction of sacrum on MRI and plain X-rays. This atypical presentation may lead to delay in diagnosis and treatment. This case report intends to emphasize that spinal tuberculosis should be the first and foremost differential diagnosis in the presence of atypical clinical and radiological features of a sacral lesion particularly in developing countries. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent or minimize the neurological morbidity in such cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India. ashok_k73@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Manish Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Varshney
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Trikha
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D004487:Edema / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D012447:Sacrum / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D005682:Gadolinium