Esophageal Tuberculosis – A Mass of Confusion

Esophageal tuberculosis (TB) is a rare diagnosis, found in less than 1% of autopsies in patients who died with known TB.1 The majority of cases are secondary, with contiguous spread from mediastinal lymph nodes constituting the most common etiology.1 Esophageal TB is commonly mistaken for malignancy as symptoms are similar (dysphagia, weight loss and fever) and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) characteristics are comparable.3 To make a definitive diagnosis, a granulomatous lesion must be present on biopsy of the esophagus or adjacent lymph node.