Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis.
Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a rare disorder. It usually occurs via hematogenous and lymphatic spread from coexistent pulmonary or systemic tuberculosis, and by airway during respiration or bacillary expectoration.


METHODS
we present a case of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis in a 50-year-old female patient presenting with a cervical mass and unilateral otitis media with effusion. The diagnosis was made by PCR and by isolation of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis on Loveinstein-Jensen cultures.


CONCLUSIONS
Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis may present with cervical mass, unilateral otitis media with effusion, and may mimic nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Furthermore, nasopharyngeal carcinoma may harbor foci of granulomatous reaction, and this feature may confuse the pathologist. However PCR carries the advantage to detect the DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis before its growth on culture. Even though it is rare, this entity must be considered in the differential diagnosis of the nasopharyngeal masses.
Güven Güvenç
M
M
Istanbul University, Cerrahpa_a Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otolaryngology and Head-Neck Surgery, Istanbul, Turkey. guvencmg@yahoo.com
Tuna Edizer
D
D
Altu
Tahir
T
Midilli
Kenan
K
Aygün
Gökhan
G
D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009302:Nasopharyngeal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents