# A Case of Primary Tuberculous Parotitis Mimicking Parotid Neoplasm: A Rare Clinical Entity

## TL;DR

A rare case of parotid swelling caused by tuberculosis was mistaken for a tumor but correctly diagnosed using a non-surgical test.

## Contribution

This case highlights the importance of considering tuberculous parotitis as a differential diagnosis for parotid neoplasms.

## Key findings

- FNAC confirmed tuberculous parotitis with high sensitivity and specificity.
- Antitubercular therapy led to lesion reduction without surgery.
- Tuberculous parotitis can mimic neoplasms clinically and radiologically.

## Abstract

Primary tuberculous parotitis is an extremely rare entity presenting with nonspecific symptoms, variable clinical signs, and imaging features mimicking parotid neoplasm. It is a clinical and diagnostic challenge, and a confirmed histological diagnosis would indicate nonoperative management, thus avoiding unwarranted surgery and associated morbidity. Tuberculosis of the salivary gland is a relatively rare extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis, with the incidence of tuberculous parotitis being 2%-9%. The prevalence of disseminated tuberculosis has increased in recent times because of the use of immunosuppressive therapy for organ transplantation and chemotherapy. However, the incidence of concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis in patients with tuberculous parotitis is a rarer scenario. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) can confirm the diagnosis of tuberculous parotitis with a high sensitivity (84%-100%) and specificity (94%-100%). The utility of FNAC is also enhanced as the aspirate can be utilized for cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) testing for mycobacterium and drug sensitivity testing, thereby further increasing its sensitivity and specificity. This translates to a lesser chance of unnecessary surgical intervention and the potential surgical morbidity. Here, we report a case of parotid swelling in a 72-year-old male, with no evidence of any pulmonary or systemic tuberculosis, with clinical and imaging features suggestive of parotid neoplasm but diagnosed as tubercular parotitis on FNAC. He was started on antitubercular therapy, which resulted in the progressive diminution of the size of the lesion. Primary tuberculous parotitis should be considered a possibility while managing the parotid neoplasm.