tuberculosus osteomyelitis mimicking a lytic bone tumor report of two cases and literature review

Tuberculous osteomyelitis is an uncommon form of tuberculosis (TB); the isolated involve-ment of TB in wrist joint is particularly rare. The symptoms and clinical manifestationmimic other conditions; hence, careful diagnosis is required. The authors present two casesof patients presenting with soft tissue mass and a lytic bone lesion. Biopsy revealed granulo-matous osteomyelitis. Lesion culture identified Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The authors urgeclinicians to include TB as a differential diagnosis of primary cause of lytic bone lesions,even in the absence of pulmonary symptoms or risk factors of TB infection. The inclusionof mycobacterial cultures when analyzing biopsies of lytic bone lesions is also advised.