Tuberculosis and the Pancreas: A Diagnostic Challenge Solved by Endoscopic Ultrasound. A Case Series

Abstract

Pancreatic tuberculosis is a rare disease. It can be easily confused with malignancy or pancreatitis on imaging. This could result in unnecessary surgery. As this is a treatable disease it is imperative to diagnose this condition pre-operatively. We report three cases of pancreatic tuberculosis that were diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound. In conclusion, endoscopic ultrasound is the diagnostic modality of choice for pancreatic tuberculosis facilitating high resolution imaging, as well as sampling of tissue for staining, cytology, culture and polymerase chain reaction assay.