Presentation
A psoas abscess was detected on ultrasound in association with multiple abdominal lymph nodes in a young adult suffering from fever for three months.
Patient Data
The hypoechoic collection is seen in the right psoas muscle, with some necrotic debris inside. The kidney can be seen just above the abscess.
Case Discussion
Psoas abscess is a collection of pus in the iliopsoas muscle. CT scan showed an association with Pott's spine involving T12-L1 vertebrae. More than one liter of pus was drained using a percutaneous pigtail catheter. The patient improved with anti-tubercular treatment.
Tuberculosis is the most common cause of psoas abscess in areas where the disease is endemic; in other places, Staphylococcus aureus is the most likely causative organism 1, 2. CT scan or MR scan is the imaging modality of choice because of its ability to diagnose the pathology, the extent of the disease, and the associated bone involvement 3. However, the ultrasound may be a useful diagnostic modality during follow-up in resource-limited settings.
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