Abstract
Abdominal non-tuberculous mycobacterial infection is a rare condition in healthy patients. When it occurs, it leads to the appearance of typical findings of peritoneal involvement, such as thickening of the peritoneal leaflets and the omentum, ascites and enlargement of lymph nodes and of mesenteric nodules. These findings may be misdiagnosed as tumour peritoneal implants.In case of spontaneous regression of the peritoneal involvement and ascites, as well as in the absence of malignancy, the suspicion of infectious disease, including abdominal nontuberculous mycobacterial infection, should be considered.
Highlights
Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a condition usually associated with cancer originating from the ovary, stomach, colon, pancreas or breast
Nontuberculous peritonitis presents with thickening of the peritoneal leaves and the omentum, ascites, enlargement of low-attenuation lymph nodes and of mesenteric nodules [5]. These findings normally raise the suspicion of peritoneal metastases in oncologic patients; yet, in asymptomatic patients without oncologic history and with a negative oncologic workup, the finding of peritoneal nodules and ascites might raise the suspicion of abdominal infectious disease, such as from Non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM)
A 53-year-old Caucasian woman was referred to our institution because of the suspicion of peritoneal carcinomatosis, raised by the findings of ascites at a transvaginal ultrasound performed as a yearly routine exam; a pre-surgical staging exam with computed tomography (CT) scan show thickening of the gastric walls, multiple omental nodules and ascites (Figure 1)
Summary
Peritoneal carcinomatosis is a condition usually associated with cancer originating from the ovary, stomach, colon, pancreas or breast. A 53-year-old Caucasian woman was referred to our institution because of the suspicion of peritoneal carcinomatosis, raised by the findings of ascites at a transvaginal ultrasound performed as a yearly routine exam; a pre-surgical staging exam with computed tomography (CT) scan show thickening of the gastric walls, multiple omental nodules and ascites (Figure 1). Her previous personal history was unremarkable and she denied any clinical symptom or cancer history. A follow-up CT scan performed 1 year later confirmed a complete recovery of peritoneal findings
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