Abstract
BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is a very common and easily diagnosed as a malignancy. However, studies have described the difference between TB and lung cancer. Single-organ TB and lung cancer are often easily distinguished clinically. Atypical systemic hematogenous disseminated TB (HDTB) is uncommon, including rare cases involving multiple organs such as cervical lymph nodes, pleura, liver, and lung TB simultaneously, which are more confusing and easily misdiagnosed in clinical practice. CASE PRESENTATION: A HIV-negative 56-year-old male was hospitalized for chest disease with main symptoms of chest tightness, chest pain, fatigue, anorexia, and weight loss. Heart rate 109 times/min, the computed tomography (CT) scans of the neck, chest, and abdomen revealed multiple nodules in the right pleura, right pleural encapsulated effusion, and limited, incomplete expansion of the middle and lower lobes of the right lung, enlarged lymph nodes in the right hilar and mediastinal and diaphragm groups, and multiple slightly low-density nodules in the liver, bone destruction in the 2nd thoracic vertebra, raising the possibility of multiple liver metastases of right lung cancer and malignant pleural fluid. The lymph nodes in the neck, mediastinum, abdomen, and pelvis were enlarged bilaterally. After comprehensive analysis, the patient was diagnosed with atypical systemic HDTB. After three months of conventional anti-TB treatment, the patient refused our hospital follow-up, and his symptoms improved significantly during the telephone follow-up. CONCLUSION: Most previous TB misdiagnoses involved a single organ, and this case enriches the clinical experience of diagnosing atypical HDTB. We encourage clinicians to establish a dynamic diagnostic and therapeutic mindset, emphasizing the value of biopsy and pathology.