ABSTRACT
Head and neck tuberculosis is a significant subgroup of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, accounting for less than 1% of all tuberculosis localizations. It can present with a wide range of clinical manifestations, from lymph nodes to the larynx, from the middle ear to the skull base. Diagnosis may be difficult because it can be confused with malignancies. This review aims to address the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and diagnostic approaches to head and neck tuberculosis in light of current data.
Keywords:
Head and neck, imaging, tuberculosis
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