title: Multiple chest wall tuberculous abscesses.
abstract: Tuberculosis (TB) usually involves the lungs and hilar lymph nodes. Musculoskeletal TB occurs in 1%-3% of patients with TB, while chest wall TB constitutes 1%-5% of all cases of musculoskeletal TB. The present case reports a twenty six year old immunocompetent patient with multiple chest wall tuberculous abscesses along with multiple ribs destruction, in absence of active pulmonary TB or intrathoracic lymphadenopathy. Chest wall TB though rare, should have a high degree of suspicion in multiple destructive bone lesions, especially in patients from regions where TB is endemic. Plain chest x-ray postero-anterior (CXR-PA) view revealed osteolytic rib lesions with overlying opacities; fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) was not helpful. Computerized tomography (CT) of thorax and histopathology of the biopsied unhealthy tissue from the cavity were consistent with the diagnosis of TB. Oral antitubercular therapy (ATI) was given for 12 months, following which the chest wall abscesses and rib lesions healed.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Wing, Department of Medicine,Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Mosharraf
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hossain
authors.forename: Abul Kalam
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Azzad
authors.forename: Samprity
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: Mohibul
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aziz
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology*