PANCREATIC TUBERCULOSIS MIMICKING PANCREATIC TUMOR: A CASE REPORT IN ANAMBRA, NIGERIA

Uchenna Chinyelu Ufoaroh and Ernest Ndukaife Anyabolu*

ABSTRACT

Background: The pancreas is an uncommon site of extra pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). When TB affects lymph nodes including the peri-pancreatic nodes and the pancreas, the clinical presentation may greatly mimic advanced pancreatic malignancy. Here is illustrated a rare pancreas TB that mimicked a pancreatic tumor. Findings: The patient, a 56-year old woman, has painless neck swelling and right abdominal pain of 2 years. She has discrete non-tender, enlarged right supraclavicular lymph nodes. ESR was raised and manteaux positive. 2 –hour PP sugar was impaired. Sonography and CT scan showed pancreatic mass and enlarged peri-pancreatic nodes. Biopsy revealed the supraclavicular nodes showed chronic granulomatous inflammation She received anti-Koch’s therapy for 7 months with complete resolution of the adenitis, the impaired glucose and the pancreatic mass. Conclusion: This case report shows a rare pancreas TB with impaired glucose and concomitant supraclavicular TB adenitis. The diagnosis of pancreatic TB would have been elusive without pancreatic histology, but for the high index of suspicion occasioned by the concomitant occurrence of the supraclavicular node TB.

Keywords: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis, Pancreatic tuberculosis, Impaired glucose, Supraclavicular adenitis, Anambra, Nigeria.