Difficulty in the differential diagnosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis and tuberculosis in a young female patient with ascites: a case report

Abstract

The differential diagnosis between peritoneal tuberculosis and peritoneal carcinomatosis is quite challenging because of the similarity of the clinical picture and laboratory and instrumental examination data. Peritoneal tuberculosis and peritoneal carcinomatosis may present with the development of ascites, lymph nodes, and intestinal loop conglomerates. This article presents the clinical case of a young patient who, after her second childbirth, noted the appearance of intense pain in the neck and between the scapulae. Two months later, she experienced pneumonia with a positive reaction to antibiotic therapy. After another 2 months, she experienced recurrent ascites and gastrointestinal symptoms for the first time. The examination revealed ovarian masses and signs of peritoneal carcinomatosis and lung nodules. However, the clinical presentation was atypical for peritoneal carcinomatosis, and lung lesions were suspicious for tuberculosis, which allowed us to hypothesize the presence of tuberculosis of multiple localizations. The diagnosis was confirmed by laparoscopy with a biopsy of the involved tissues and subsequent histological and laboratory confirmation of the etiological role of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The described case demonstrates the importance of using all available diagnostic methods to establish the causes of ascites in young female patients for differential diagnosis between specific and neoplastic etiologies.