Mastitis tuberculosis: About an uncommon case report

Background: Mastitis tuberculosis is a very unusual form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, even in endemic countries. The clinical and imaging features are not specific to this condition, which must be distinguished from other mammary pathologies, especially breast cancer, in order to avoid investigations and treatments that are sometimes mutilating. Case presentation: We report an uncommon case of breast tuberculosis in a 39-year-old woman. The ultrasound and mammography performed suggested a lesion suspicious of cancer classified as ACR 5. Pathological examination confirmed tuberculosis of the breast. Anti-tuberculosis medical therapy resulted in a complete cure of the condition. Conclusions: Mammary extrapulmonary tuberculosis is uncommon and presents a difficult diagnostic challenge that requires a high degree of suspicion, especially in endemic areas. The clinical and radiological pictures are misleading, and raise a diagnostic problem especially with breast cancer. But it is only the histopathological or bacteriological examination that allows a diagnosis of certainty.