Calvarial Tuberculosis Presenting with Skin Defect in an Elderly Patient

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis is a common disease; however, the prevalence of calvarial tuberculosis is very rare. Most cases of calvarial tuberculosis occur in young patients. We report a rare case of calvarial tuberculosis in an elderly patient.

Case description: An 89-year-old woman presented with a forehead skin defect. Radiologic imaging showed bony erosion 20 × 10 mm in size with adjacent dural enhancement in the left frontal bone. The patient underwent surgical treatment. Pathology revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation with caseous necrosis, consistent with tuberculosis. Antituberculous medications were prescribed for 6 months.

Conclusions: A careful assessment should be performed to obtain an appropriate diagnosis in cases of osteolytic lesions of the skull.

Keywords: Calvarial; Osteomyelitis; Skull; Tuberculosis.