Abstract: Pleural tuberculosis masquerading as metastatic malignancy

Mohamed Mirghani Osman, F.R.C.P*, Abdullahi Mahgoub Zaki, MD, FCCP**
Department of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Sudan*
Department of community medicine, Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan**

Abstract
Tuberculosis involvement of the pleura usually presents as pleural effusion, empyema or pleural thickening. In this communication we report a case of unilateral pleural tuberculosis presenting as multiple nodular masses without effusion, which raised the possibility of metastatic malignancy. Histopathology of the nodules confirmed the diagnosis of tuberculosis; and with standard antituberculosis therapy they disappeared and the patient's symptoms improved.

Keywords: tuberculosis, pleural masses, metastases.