title: Young woman with polyserositis, ovarian cystic mass and increased level of CA-125. Case report of peritoneal and pleural tuberculosis.
abstract: A 21-year-old woman was addressed to our department for progressive abdominal swelling, fatigue and fever. The clinical examination, the ultrasound examination and the computed tomography showed the presence of polyserositis (ascites and pleural effusion) and revealed a cystic mass at the level of right ovary. The laboratory work-up showed an increased level of CA-125, suggesting a malignancy. The thoracoscopy with visualization of the pleura revealed disseminated small white spots. The laparoscopic exploration of the pelvis and of the peritoneum also showed the same disseminated lesions and a cystic-like mass at the level of the right ovary which was excised and diagnosed as a benign cyst. At the analysis of the frozen and paraffin sections, the diagnostic of pleural and peritoneal tuberculosis was made and the specific quadruple treatment was started with a good evolution at two months and with the normalization of the CA-125 level. This case report underlines the importance of tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of patients with polyserositis and increased levels of CA-125.
authors.affiliation: 3rd Internal Medicine Department, Dr. Carol Davila Central Clinical Emergency Military Hospital, Bucharest, Romania. cjurcut@gmail.com
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jurcuţ
authors.forename: Crina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Filişan
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Popovici
authors.forename: Liana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toma
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Panaite
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nicodin
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Copaci
mesh_terms: D001201:Ascites / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D010048:Ovarian Cysts / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D012700:Serositis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018394:CA-125 Antigen