# Gallbladder tuberculosis as an incidental calcified mass in an elderly male: a case report

## TL;DR

An elderly man with a history of tuberculosis had a calcified gallbladder mass that was initially suspected to be cancer but was later diagnosed as gallbladder tuberculosis.

## Contribution

This case highlights gallbladder tuberculosis as a rare but important differential diagnosis for calcified gallbladder masses.

## Key findings

- A calcified gallbladder mass was found in a patient with a history of tuberculosis.
- Histopathology confirmed the mass was due to gallbladder tuberculosis, not cancer.
- The patient underwent successful cholecystectomy and was treated for tuberculosis.

## Abstract

Gallbladder tuberculosis (GBT) is exceptionally rare and may closely mimic gallbladder carcinoma. We report a 71-year-old male with a history of successfully treated pulmonary tuberculosis who was asymptomatic and incidentally found on screening ultrasonography to have a calcified mass at the gallbladder fundus. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a 2 × 4 cm calcified fundal lesion with focal wall thickening, raising strong suspicion of malignancy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative frozen section was performed. Despite severe inflammatory adhesions suggestive of invasive cancer, frozen section and final histopathology confirmed caseating granulomatous inflammation consistent with GBT, and surgery was limited to simple cholecystectomy. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was referred for antituberculous therapy. GBT should be considered in the differential diagnosis of calcified gallbladder masses to avoid overtreatment.