Primary hepatic tuberculosis mimicking intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

This note is for discussion board readers who are resident in countries where tuberculosis is endemic.

As is noted in the article above which Gavin had posted on the board, there is an uncommon hepatic (liver) manifestation of tuberculosis that can look like cholangiocarcinoma in scans. Tuberculosis in this unusual presentation can look like an intrahepatic liver mass, or a stricture(s) in the bile ducts, or like a Klatskin tumor.

If tuberculosis is a possibility, additional testing may be needed to determine whether what is seen in the scans is hepatic tuberculosis or CCA. Both are rare.

CCA can be hard to diagnose. If there is a possibility of infection with tuberculosis, this should be mentioned to your medical care providers. If you search both “cholangiocarcinoma” and “tuberculosis” it is possible to find a few other case studies in the medical literature.

Regards, Mary