TUBERCULOUS PSEUDOTUMOR CAUSING BILIARY OBSTRUCTION - REPORT OF A CASE WITH DIAGNOSIS BY FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY AND BILE CYTOLOGY

Hepatobiliary tuberculosis is a rare but distinct clinical entity. We report an unusual case of biliary tract obstruction due to localized h epatic tuberculosis with periportal tuberculous adenitis. The lesion m imicked a malignancy clinically and radiologically. Fine needle aspira tion biopsy revealed granulomas, epithelioid histiocytes and Langhans' giant cells. The cytodiagnosis was confirmed by identification of aci d-fast bacilli in the bile cytology and isolation of Mycobacterium tub erculosis by culture. The patient responded to antituberculosis therap y. The usefulness of bile cytology in the diagnostic management of bil iary tract obstruction is illustrated.