Authors: Berzosa, M.; Tsukayama, D.T.; Davies, S.F.; Debol, S.M.; Cen, Y-Y.; Li, R.; Mallery, S.

Source: The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Volume 14, Number 5, May 2010 , pp. 578-584(7)

Publisher: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease

Abstract:

SETTING: The incidence of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is surprisingly high among certain subgroups of patients in industrialized countries. Diagnosis is often difficult and can require costly invasive workup. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a safe, minimally invasive, accurate, out-patient diagnostic modality for assessing mediastinal and abdominal lymphadenopathy and masses.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of EUS-FNA for diagnosing EPTB.

DESIGN: Retrospective 6-year review, including all patients who had evidence of lymphadenopathy or mass on computed tomography scan accessible by EUS and consideration of tuberculosis (TB) in the differential diagnosis.

RESULTS: Of 81 potential patients, a total of 20 cases with EPTB diagnosed by EUS-FNA were identified. Necrotizing granulomas had a 58% likelihood of TB vs. 14% for other cytologic findings (P < 0.0001); necrosis was also predictive, with a 44% likelihood of TB vs. 19% (P < 0.0225). EUS-FNA cytology was diagnostic for TB when an African-born patient had necrotizing granulomas (P < 0.0001), and was highly suggestive with necrosis alone (P < 0.0514). Non-necrotizing granulomas were not predictive of TB and an alternative diagnosis was more likely, including sarcoidosis and cancer.

CONCLUSION: EUS-FNA is a useful diagnostic modality that should be used early in the diagnostic workup of suspected EPTB.

Keywords: endoscopic ultrasound; fine-needle aspiration; tuberculosis; extra-pulmonary; granuloma

Document Type: Regular paper

Affiliations: 1: Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Publication date: 2010-05-01

More about this publication?

• The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease publishes articles on all aspects of lung health, including public health-related issues such as training programmes, cost-benefit analysis, legislation, epidemiology, intervention studies and health systems research. The IJTLD is dedicated to the continuing education of physicians and health personnel and the dissemination of information on tuberculosis and lung health world-wide.

  Certain IJTLD articles are selected for translation into French, Spanish, Chinese or Russian. They are available on the Union website

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Internal Medicine
• By this author: Berzosa, M. ;  Tsukayama, D.T. ;  Davies, S.F. ;  Debol, S.M. ;  Cen, Y-Y. ;  Li, R. ;  Mallery, S.

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers