J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2012 Nov;52(5):495-497. 10.3340/jkns.2012.52.5.495.

Isolated Coccygeal Tuberculosis

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea. chosunns@chosun.ac.kr

Abstract

Isolated tuberculosis of the coccyx is extremely rare. A 35-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of coccygeal and gluteal pain. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed osseous destruction and a large enhancing mass involving the coccyx with anterior and posterior extension. Pathologic examination of the surgical specimen revealed necrosis, chronic granulomatous inflammation, and multinucleated giant cells consistent with tuberculosis. This case highlights the importance of considering tuberculosis as a diagnosis even though unusual sites are involved.

Keyword

Coccyx; Tuberculosis

MeSH Terms

Coccyx
Giant Cells
Inflammation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Necrosis
Tuberculosis

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Computed tomography (CT) scans of the patient. CT scans of the patient reveal a lytic lesion involving coccyx.

  • Fig. 2 Magnetic resonance images of the patient. The sagittal T2-weighted and axial T1-weighted images show an ill-defined lytic area in the coccyx and mixed signal intensity in the precoccygeal area and hyperintensity in the postcoccygeal region.

  • Fig. 3 Histological examination shows chronic granulomatous inflammation composed of epithelioid histiocytic aggregation (H&E, ×100).


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