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Case Reports
. 2021 Sep 6;2021(2):41.
doi: 10.5339/qmj.2021.37. eCollection 2021.

Uncommon presentation of craniospinal tuberculosis

Mohammed Abdulrabu, Ebrahim Ebrahim  1   2 , Akram Warki  1   3 , Ahmed Alsotuhy  1   3 , Shahzad Anjum  1   4
Affiliations
Case Reports

Uncommon presentation of craniospinal tuberculosis

Mohammed Abdulrabu et al. Qatar Med J. .

Abstract

Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection with multisystem presentations. Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is considered the most lethal form among all types. In addition to possible fatality, CNS TB has serious neurological sequelae. These morbidity issues along with diagnostic challenges doubles the clinical burden. In recent years, there have been improvements in diagnostic sensitivity and specificity due to advances in technology. Herein, we report an atypical case of a patient with TB who presented to our department and discuss the flow of the diagnostic workup.

Keywords: craniospinal tuberculosis; uncommon presentation.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Axial FLAIR weighted images (WI) of the brain at the level of the posteriro fossa and temporal labes and after gadolinium based TV contrast injection showing basal meningeal thickening and enchancement predominantly circumscribing the brain stem structures and the interpeduncular cistern.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Sagittal tbl2WI and post-contract tbl2WI of the whole sping showing evident meningeal thickening and enchancement circumscribing the spinal cord and extending extensively along the cadua equina nerve roots almost completely replacing the CSF spaces and resulting in dry CSF puncutre.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Axial tbl2 WI and tbl1 WI of the lumbar spine at the level of L1 and L2 vertebrae showing significant meningeal thickening and dense enhancement along the surface of the conus medullaries region and the cauda equina nerve roots replacing the CSF space at these levels.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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