Tuberculous Cervical Lymphadenitis: The Silent Swelling in the Neck
Tuberculous Cervical Lymphadenitis: The Silent Swelling in the Neck Author: Dr. Elias Lee Category: Infectious Disease | Radiology | Tuberculosis Estimated reading time: 5 minutes Introduction Tuberculous cervical lymphadenitis, also known as scrofula , remains the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB), particularly in developing countries and immunocompromised individuals. In this column, we explore a textbook case of a 22-year-old female presenting with bilateral neck masses, whose CT findings reveal the classic radiologic signs of this disease. Clinical Case Summary A 22-year-old previously healthy woman presented with progressive, painless swelling on both sides of the neck and difficulty swallowing. She denied systemic symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and shortness of breath. Neck CT with contrast showed: Massively enlarged necrotic lymph nodes at levels II and III bilaterally Thick rim enhancement suggestive of cent...