title: Endometrial Tuberculosis Simulating an Ovarian Cancer: a case report.
abstract: Female genital tuberculosis remains a major health problem in developing countries and is an important cause of infertility. As symptoms, laboratory data and physical findings are non-specific, its diagnosis can be difficult. We describe a case of a 39-year-old woman suffering from peri-umbilical pain and increased abdominal size for one year, anorexia, asthenia, weight loss, occasionally dysuria and dyspareunia, and four months amenorrhea. Laboratory data revealed cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) level of 132.3 U/mL, erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 42 mm/h, and gamma-globulins of 2.66 g/dL. Computed tomography scan showed loculated ascites. It was initially suspected a carcinomatous origin, but ascites evaluation was negative for malignant cells. Magnetic resonance imaging from another hospital showed endometrial heterogeneity. Therefore, an endometrial biopsy was performed demonstrating an inflammatory infiltrate with giant cells of type Langhans and bacteriological culture identified Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiological Sciences. Institute of Radiology. Catholic University of Sacred Heart. A. Gemelli Hospital. Rome.
authors.forename: Silvia Eleonora
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Di Giovanni
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Radiologia. Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa. Lisboa. Portugal.
authors.forename: Teresa Margarida
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Radiologia. Hospital do Espírito Santo. Évora. Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana Luisa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Duarte
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Radiologia. Hospital Central do Funchal. Funchal. Portugal.
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014384:Tuberculosis, Female Genital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*