Tuberculous Peritonitis Mimicking Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma

ABSTRACT

Tuberculous peritonitis is one of the most common extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The presenting signs and symptoms, together with the carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 status and imaging findings may resemble the primary peritoneal carcinoma or ovarian carcinoma. We herein report a case on a 71-year-old woman who is presented with abdominal distension, abdominal pain, nausea, anorexia. Abdomino-pelvic computed tomography scans reveal large amounts of ascites and mottled omentum with diffuse nodular masses, and the serum CA 125 level is elevated. The initial clinical diagnosis is the primary peritoneal carcinoma, but the final histological diagnosis confirms the tuberculous peritonitis. Thus, we discuss the differential diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis from primary peritoneal carcinoma and also the problems especially found in old aged patients. In conclusion, although the elderly patients are suspected with malignancy, we should keep in mind the possibility of curable diseases and perform laparoscopic biopsy during the early stage aggressively.