Atypical tuberculosis of the knee joint

This case report demonstrates the MRI findings of atypical tuberculosis (TB) of the knee joint, caused by Mycobacterium kansasii. Osteoarticular TB caused by atypical mycobacteria is rare; instead, it is predominantly a synovial disease affecting the tendon sheaths rather than bone. Predisposing factors are immunocompromised individuals, including the elderly, alcoholics, those with HIV, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition and other chronic debilitating illnesses, and local factors, such as preexisting trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, and prosthetic joints. We present a case that occurred in an individual without any predisposing factors, which is also a rare occurrence