Keelklachten: tumor, tuberculose of beide?

The incidence of tuberculosis in the Netherlands has dropped dramatically over the past 50 years. With declining experience of tuberculosis, misdiagnosis can easily happen. Laryngeal tuberculosis often presents as a tumorous mass that may initially be mistaken for cancer. As laryngeal tuberculosis is usually highly infectious, this poses a risk to the patient as well as his/her contacts including healthcare providers.

We describe three patients with (suspected) laryngeal tuberculosis and discuss potential pitfalls. Pivotal for a correct diagnosis are thorough history-taking, physical examination and relatively simple radiological and laboratory tests. Risk groups have been identified for tuberculosis and this can provide a clue. Differentiation between tuberculosis and cancer can be difficult, and the two diseases may concur.

Even in low-incidence settings for tuberculosis, knowledge of the disease remains necessary as it is curable and further spread can be prevented with simple measures.

Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.