title: Isolated tuberculosis of the ampulla of vater masquerading as periampullary carcinoma: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Isolated tuberculosis of the ampulla of Vater has not yet been reported. The clinical features of isolated periampullary tuberculosis are at times similar to those seen in patients with periampullary carcinoma. Diagnosis is difficult, and biopsy and culture of the suspected lesion are often negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We herein describe one such case masquerading as periampullary carcinoma in a 70-year-old woman. Due to comorbid conditions only a local excision of the ampulla was carried out. Histopathology revealed giant cells in the absence of caseation necrosis and the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was proven using the polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Isolated tuberculosis of ampulla of Vater is extremely rare but must be kept in mind when making the differential diagnosis of isolated ampullary lesion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP, India. mallika_vns@satyam.net.in
authors.forename: Mallika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tewari
authors.forename: Raghvendra Raman
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: Vinay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Amrita Ghosh
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Kar
authors.forename: Hari S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Shukla
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014670:Ampulla of Vater / Q000473:pathology*; D002761:Cholangitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003138:Common Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial