Can Primary Knee Tuberculosis Simulate the Clinical and Radiological Profile of Pigmented Villonodular Synovitis?

Abstract

When faced with clinical and radiological findings suggestive of villonodular synovitis, tuberculosis is not often considered a differential diagnosis, especially when the patient is not a known tuberculosis carrier. In this paper, we present an exceptional case of a patient who had a tumefaction (measuring 17 cm in length) in the anterointernal region of her left knee, with a clinical and radiological picture in favor of villonodular synovitis. However, after tumor resection, the anatomopathological study of the surgical specimen came back in favor of a tuberculous lesion. This exceptional case shows that tuberculosis should be retained as a diagnostic possibility in the presence of clinical and radiological findings in favor of villonodular synovitis, even if the patient is not known to have a tuberculous lesion elsewhere.