A case of rapidly spreading infected thoracic aortic aneurysm which was suspected as herpes zoster-related pain

Abstract

We report a case of rapidly spreading infected thoracic aortic aneurysm which was suspected as herpes zoster-related pain. A 60-year-old man was diagnosed left pyelonephritis and herpes zoster on the left thoracic region. Because the pain become severe, he was referred to our outpatient. At the examination, he had fever and very severe left side back pain at the level of the sixth thoracic vertebra without blistering skin rash. Blood test suggested an elevated inflammation. We revealed findings of an infected thoracic aortic aneurysm by thoracic magnetic resonance imaging. We diagnosed a rapidly spreading infected thoracic aortic aneurysm, and surgery was performed. Even if visceral disease is most recently diagnosed before, imaging studies should be repeated if it is accompanied by atypical symptoms. As this case shown, there is a possibility to detect a rapidly spreading infected aortic aneurysm by repeated imaging studies.