Metastatic adenocarcinoma of lung mimicking spinal tuberculosis

---

Case Report

Author Details : Swapnil Manaji Thorve, Vishwas Gupta, Pralhad Prabhakar Prabhudesai

Volume : 1, Issue : 2, Year : 2016

Article Page : 43-46

Suggest article by email

Get Permission

---

Abstract

Clinically, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish an infection of the spine from a metastasis. Spinal tuberculosis is common in India and adenocarcinoma of the lung is also rising. Radiologically, the hallmark of spinal infection is an erosion of adjacent vertebral endplates and narrowing of the disc space with or without a paravertebral shadow. Metastasis typically does not involve the disc space with erosion of the adjacent vertebral endplates. It usually presents as a lytic/sclerotic lesion in the vertebral body or ‘winkle owl’ sign. These distinguishing features of infection versus metastasis are not certainties. A biopsy is mandatory whenever in doubt or patient is not responded with provisional treatment.
We present a case of 45 year old male with so-called radiological features of spinal tuberculosis infection, which turns out to be a metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Keywords: Adenocarcinoma; Extrapulmonary; Metastasis; Spinal tuberculosis; Tuberculosis

How to cite : Thorve S M, Gupta V, Prabhudesai P P, Metastatic adenocarcinoma of lung mimicking spinal tuberculosis. IP Indian J Immunol Respir Med 2016;1(2):43-46

This is an Open Access (OA) journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.