Abstract
A 75-year-old man was admitted to Fujieda-city Shida General Hospital for a thorough examination of the esophagus. Double contrast radiography showed an elevated lesion with a niche in the middle esophagus. The endoscopic examination also revealed an elevated lesion with a central depression and white coats. Histological examination of biopsied specimen revealed epithelioid cell granulomas and leukocyte infiltration, but no findings of malignancy. The culture of samples obtained by brushing and gastric juice for Mycobacterium tuberculosis was positive. The esophageal lesion almost disappeared after 3 months of anti-tuberculosis medication. Esophageal tuberculosis is a rare disease, and only 32 patients including the present case have been reported in Japan. Although the diagnosis of the disorder is generally difficult, a culture of the esophageal tissue by brushing is useful for detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and ultrasonography also helps its diagnosis.
