An assumed case of tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis in a child

Abstract

An assumed case of tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis in a 9-year-old boy is reported. The child had severely painful swelling of the left submandibular and submental regions. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed left submandibular and submental lymph node swelling with an abscess formation. Although he was given antibiotic medication, the cervical swelling grew rapidly. For histopathological diagnosis, the left submandibular lymph node was surgically removed with the patient under general anesthesia. Histopathological examination showed an epithelioid cell granuloma surrounding the caseous necrosis region and Langhans giant cells, and we suspected tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis. He received antituberculous chemotherapy and made good progress.

　Although mycobacterium tuberculosis was not proven in this case, we thought that there was no contradiction in diagnosing tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis clinicopathologically.