Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Tuberculous arthritis of the knee joint mimicking pigmented villonodular synovitis

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Tuberculous arthritis is difficult to diagnose early because of its atypical insidious clinical manifestations and non-specific imaging findings. Specifically, monoarticular tuberculosis of the knee may mimic pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS). The present report describes a young patient with tuberculous arthritis of the knee. Proper diagnosis was delayed due to magnetic resonance imaging findings, such as hemosiderin deposits and a nodular mass around the knee joint, suggesting the diffuse type of PVNS. These findings suggest that the first step in the diagnosis of tuberculous knee arthritis is to have a high index of suspicion.

Level of evidence IV.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ahn JH, Ha CW (2000) Posterior trans-septal portal for arthroscopic surgery of the knee joint. Arthroscopy 16:774–779

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Cheng XG, You YH, Liu W, Zhao T, Qu H (2004) MRI features of pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS). Clin Rheumatol 23:31–34

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Choi WJ, Han SH, Joo JH, Kim BS, Lee JW (2008) Diagnostic dilemma of tuberculosis in the foot and ankle. Foot Ankle Int 29:711–715

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Chung CB, Boucher R, Resnick D (2009) MR imaging of synovial disorders of the knee. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 13:303–325

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Erdem H, Baylan O, Simsek I, Dinc A, Pay S, Kocaoglu M (2005) Delayed diagnosis of tuberculous arthritis. Jpn J Infect Dis 58:373–375

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Fukasawa H, Suzuki H, Kato A, Yamamoto T, Fujigaki Y, Yonemura K, Hishida A (2001) Tuberculous arthritis mimicking neoplasm in a hemodialysis patient. Am J Med Sci 322:373–375

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lui TH, Stephen LW (2008) A case of co-existing pigmented villonodular synovitis and tuberculosis infection of the foot and ankle. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 128:769–772

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Malaviya AN, Kotwal PP (2003) Arthritis associated with tuberculosis. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 17:319–343

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Ramanath VS, Damron TA, Ambrose JL, Rose FB (2002) Tuberculosis of the hip as the presenting sign of HIV and simulating pigmented villonodular synovitis. Skeletal Radiol 31:426–429

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Shams F, Asnis D, Lombardi C, Segal-Maurer S (2009) A report of two cases of tuberculous arthritis of the ankle. J Foot Ankle Surg 48:452–456

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Shen HL, Xia Y, Li P, Wang J, Han H (2010) Arthroscopic operations in knee joint with early-stage tuberculosis. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 130:357–361

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Titov AG, Nakonechniy GD, Santavirta S, Serdobintzev MS, Mazurenko SI, Konttinen YT (2004) Arthroscopic operations in joint tuberculosis. Knee 11:57–62

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Vohra R, Kang HS, Dogra S, Saggar RR, Sharma R (1997) Tuberculous osteomyelitis. J Bone Joint Surg Br 79:562–566

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Watts HG, Lifeso RM (1996) Tuberculosis of bones and joints. J Bone Joint Surg Am 78:288–298

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

None of the authors have relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, 126-1, Anam-dong 5-ga, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 136-705, Korea

    Dae-Hee Lee, Dong-Ki Lee, Soon-Hyuck Lee, Jong-Hoon Park & Seung-Beom Han

  2. Department of Pathology, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Chul-Hwan Kim

Authors
  1. Dae-Hee Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dong-Ki Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Soon-Hyuck Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jong-Hoon Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Chul-Hwan Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Seung-Beom Han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Seung-Beom Han.

Additional information

Research of this case was performed at Korea University Anam Hospital Medical Center.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lee, DH., Lee, DK., Lee, SH. et al. Tuberculous arthritis of the knee joint mimicking pigmented villonodular synovitis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 20, 937–940 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1662-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-011-1662-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation