Diagnosis Of Central Nervous System Tuberculosis Research Articles

Diagnosis dan penatalaksanaan tuberkulosis sistem saraf pusat

Introduction: Central nervous system (CNS) tuberculous are the most dangerous form of extrapulmonary TB. CNS tuberculous can present as meningoencephalitis, intracranial tuberculomas, and vasculitis. CNS tuberculous accounts for about 1% of all TB cases and is associated with high mortality. Tuberculous meningoencephalitis commonly presents with classic symptoms of fever, headache, meningism (neck stiffness), seizures as well as focal neurologic deficits, and altered consciousness. The diagnosis and treatment of CNS tuberculosis is still a formidable clinical challenge.Case report: Patient presented with fever, headache, meningismus, convulsion, and decreased consciousness. CT scan showed cerebral tuberculoma in the left parietal lobe. Examination gene-Xpert of the cerebrospinal fluid showed Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The patient was given category 1 of anti-tuberculosis drugs.Conclusion: CNS tuberculosis has non-specific symptoms, difficult diagnosis, and high mortality. In this case report, the diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis was established based on the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis on the CSF molecular rapid test examination, and a CT scan of the head with contrast found cerebral tuberculoma.

Neurologic Complications of Tuberculosis.

This article describes the current epidemiology, common clinical characteristics, and up-to-date evidence-based approaches to the diagnosis and management of the most common neurologic complications of tuberculosis (TB): tuberculous meningitis, intracranial tuberculoma, and spinal TB. Central nervous system (CNS) TB remains common and associated with significant mortality and neurologic sequelae worldwide. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) co-infection is strongly associated with both the development of and mortality due to CNS TB. Strongyloides co-infection is associated with reduced CNS inflammation and improved outcomes in the setting of tuberculous meningitis. Stroke remains a common complication of tuberculous meningitis, and emerging evidence suggests aspirin may be used in this context. Although a recent nucleic acid amplification test has demonstrated suboptimal sensitivity in the diagnosis of CNS TB, emerging diagnostic techniques include cell-free DNA, peripheral blood microRNA, metagenomic next-generation sequencing, and advanced imaging techniques, but these are not yet well validated. CNS TB is associated with high mortality even with current treatment regimens, although novel, promising strategies for treatment are under investigation, including a combination of IV isoniazid and ethambutol and high-dose rifampicin. TB can affect the nervous system in various ways and is associated with high mortality. Diagnosis remains challenging in endemic settings, with empiric treatment often initiated without a definitive diagnosis. Furthermore, optimal treatment regimens remain uncertain because current treatment for all forms of CNS TB is extrapolated from trials of tuberculous meningitis whereas the role of steroids in people with HIV and tuberculous meningitis remains controversial.

DOWN TO THE GROUND ZERO: PERSPECTIVE FROM TISSUE DIAGNOSIS IN NEUROLOGICAL TB

BACKGROUND/AIM Central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB), a severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis presents with non specific symptom leading to delayed diagnosis and increased morbidity. This study compares different modalities of diagnosis of CNS-TB [Multiplex real-time PCR/ GeneXpert, TB culture, Ziehl-Neelsen staining( Z-N staining) and histopathology].
 METHOD This is a cross sectional observational study conducted in the Department of Neuropathology from October 2016 to May 2019. Total 128 brain and spinal cases which were clinically suggestive of TB and operated were evaluated.
 RESULT Granuloma, giant cell and necrosis were less evident in spinal TB compared to brain. GeneXpert and culture positivity were higher(100%) in tissue having poorly formed granuloma compared to well formed granuloma. Z-N stain has poor sensitivity (around 32%). Compared to culture GeneXpert was 100% sensitive and 96% specific in brain TB( detected from tissue) and 87% and 89% in spinal TB respectively.
 CONCLUSION Combined together all these modalities provide a wholistic approach so that not a single case of tuberculosis is missed.

Central nervous system tuberculosis: Rare presentations of a common disease

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly prevalent disease in developing countries of the world such as India. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement by TB can produce devastating effects and can be parenchymal, meningeal, intraventricular, subdural, or extradural. Common modes of CNS involvement include leptomeningitis and intracranial tuberculomas. Similar involvement of the spinal cord can produce tubercular arachnoiditis and intramedullary spinal tuberculomas. Atypical locations of tuberculomas include basal ganglia, brainstem, corpus callosum, and extra-axial and suprasellar locations. Uncommon modes of CNS involvement include tubercular pachymeningitis, focal tubercular cerebritis, cerebral abscess formation, and miliary TB. Tubercular pachymeningitis can also involve the dural lining of the spinal cord. We have presented cases of CNS TB, both atypical forms of common presentations as well as uncommon presentations with findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) presenting a diagnostic dilemma. The radiologist plays a central role in the diagnosis of CNS TB in such cases, and careful tailoring of the MRI examination based on the clinical picture of the patient can play a vital role in making the diagnosis, even in atypical presentations.

A rare case of central nervous system tuberculosis.

Intracranial abscess is an extremely rare form of central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis (TB). We describe a case of central nervous system tuberculous abscess in absence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. A 82-year-old Middle Eastern male from Yemen was initially brought to the emergency room due to altered mental status and acute renal failure. Cross-sectional imaging revealed multiple ring enhancing lesions located in the left cerebellum and in bilateral frontal lobe as well as in the inferior parietal lobe on the left. The patient was placed on an empiric antibiotic regimen. Preliminary testing for infectious causes was negative. Chest radiography and CT of chest showed no positive findings. He was not on any immunosuppressive medications and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test was negative. A subsequent MRI one month later showed profound worsening of the lesions with increasing vasogenic edema and newly found mass effect impinging on the fourth ventricle. Brain biopsy showed focal exudative cerebellitis and inflamed granulation tissue consistent with formation of abscesses. The diagnosis of CNS TB was finally confirmed by positive acid-fast bacilli (AFB) cultures. The patient was started on standard tuberculosis therapy but expired due to renal failure and cardiac arrest.

Tuberculosis of the central nervous system experienced at the International Medical Center of Japan

In spite of recent advances in diagnosis and chemotherapy of tuberculosis, prognosis of tuberculosis of the central nervous system (CNS) is still poor. We evaluated clinical characteristics of 14 patients with the CNS tuberculosis (10 male and 4 female, 21 to 71 years of age) who were hospitalized at IMCJ from 1988 to 1997. Twelve patients had tuberculous meningitis (2 of them had also intracranial tuberculoma), 1 had intracranial tuberculoma and 1 had spinal cord tuberculosis. For the acid-fast bacilli, the smears of cerebrospinal fluids (CSF) were all negative but the cultures for M. tuberculosis were positive in 5. Using PCR method, M. tuberculosis was identified from CSF specimens in 2 out of 9 culture negative patients, thus suggesting the usefulness of the PCR for the rapid diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis. The adenosine deaminase (ADA) levels in CSF may provide another diagnostic clue because they were elevated in 8 out of 10 cases. It is to be noted that there were three patients who developed clinical manifestations of CNS tuberculosis after the initiation of chemotherapy for pulmonary tuberculosis. In the last five cases, four-drug regimen which included PZA, was used with a good result. The success could be related to the addition of PZA which penetrates blood-brain barrier just as good as INH. Two patients died and one remains unconscious with severe neurological sequelae. The present study indicates that positive CSF culture, hydrocephalus and consciousness disturbance are important factors in determining poor prognosis of the CNS tuberculosis.

Features in Tubercular Meningoencephalitis Diagnosis: 18 Childhood Cases

The aim of this research is to illustrate clinical and instrumental features of central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB) in childhood in order to allow prompt diagnosis and adequate patient management. TB remains one of the most important communicable diseases and represents a major global health problem. Although pulmonary TB tends to be the most common form of the disease, the highest mortality and morbidity occurs with TB of the central nervous system (CNS-TB), which develops in 4% of children with tuberculosis. It has a high fatality rate and causes serious sequelae, especially during childhood. CT and MR imaging studies of 18 patients (11 female, 7 male, mean age 45.72 months) were retrospectively reviewed. A basilar enhancement was detected in all the patients. Other findings were hydrocephalus (61%), intracranial tuberculomas (17%) other nodular (11%) and ischemic lesions (11%). Edema, either perilesional or diffuse, was found in 7/18 patients. Severe ventricular dilatation was observed in 9/18 cases. Two patients with fatal outcome had severe hydrocephalus associated with extensive ischemic areas in one case and intraventricular haemorrhage in the other. Cross-sectional imaging, together with clinical data, may provide useful clues for the early diagnosis of CNS-TB and help to prevent unnecessary morbidity and mortality.

Clinical and public health aspects of tuberculous meningitis in children

To define the clinical and public health aspects of tuberculous meningitis, we conducted a 10-year retrospective review of patients with central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis, investigated health department records of contact investigations involving our patients, and assessed prospective follow-up of patients. Thirty-one cases of CNS tuberculosis (8.6% of all pediatric patients with tuberculosis) were reviewed. Three patients had tuberculomas, 23 had meningitis, and five had both. Cranial nerve involvement, basilar meningitis, and hydrocephalus were common clinical and radiographic findings. Sixty-eight percent had been examined by a physician in the preceding month, and 13% had been hospitalized. Symptoms related to tuberculosis averaged 17 days before admission. For 15 patients (47%) there was no initial family history of tuberculosis, but an adult with tuberculosis was discovered after the child's symptoms became evident. Tuberculosis had been diagnosed in an adult in close contact with nine of the patients (38%) before the child became ill. Eight of these adult source cases already had been reported to the health department, and more rapid examination of contacts may have prevented meningeal tuberculosis in the child. The diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis should be considered in all children with neurologic signs and symptoms of, and risk factors for, tuberculosis. (J P EDIATR 1995;127:27-33)