Images in cardiovascular medicine: Tuberculous aortitis

Abstract

Tuberculous aortitis is a rare disease entity indicative of disseminated tuberculosis. We report a case who presented with newly diagnosed hypertension one year after her last admission for pulmonary and pericardial tuberculosis. Chest CT and MRA, performed due to marked differences in pulse amplitude between upper and lower limbs, demonstrated long and severe segmental stenosis of the thoracic aorta. After the operation of bypass graft for the thoracic aorta, the patient recovered uneventfully. Tuberculous aortitis should be included in the list of differential diagnosis for secondary hypertension, especially if the patient has a recent disease history of pulmonary tuberculosis. © 2012 The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine.