A Case of Laryngeal Tuberculosis That Was Initially Suspected as a Laryngeal Carcinoma with Neck Lymph Node Metastasis

Abstract

Laryngeal tuberculosis is a rare condition that could mimic laryngeal carcinoma. We report the case of a 54-year-old female patient with breast cancer, in whom 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) revealed hypermetabolic foci in the larynx and a right cervical lymph node. We initially suspected laryngeal tumor, but histological examination of a laryngeal biopsy specimen revealed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was detected by bacterial culture of a laryngeal biopsy specimen and by transcription-reverse transcription concerted reaction (TRC) assay of a lymph node biopsy specimen, which led us to make the definitive diagnosis of laryngeal and cervical lymph node tuberculosis. The patient was started on anti-tuberculosis therapy and showed a good response to the treatment within 6 months. This case serves to underscore the fact that the possibility of tuberculosis should be borne in mind in the differential diagnosis of laryngeal tumors.