Brain tuberculoma (Mycobacterium africanum): high index of suspicion helps in avoiding biopsy/surgery

Abstract

Partial seizures can be due to a growing cerebral lesion, which may be tumoral or inflammatory/infectious in nature. The differential diagnosis is obviously important; increasing immigration to Europe from Africa is leading to an increase of infectious disease involving also the central nervous system. The authors report imaging the a case of a brain tuberculoma due to Mycobacterium africanum mimicking brain tumor, in which diagnosis was possible by inoculum in guinea-pig of material obtained by mediastinal biopsy of enlarged lymph nodes. Specific treatment led to marked reduction in the size of the brain lesion.