Early-stage tuberculous arthritis of the elbow presenting as lateral epicondylitis: diagnosis with sonography.

Tuberculous arthritis of the elbow is an uncommon manifestation of osteoarticular tuberculosis. Its infrequent occurrence and random symptoms often result in misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, which may lead to joint deformity. We report a case of elbow pain accompanied by symptoms similar to those of lateral epicondylitis. The diagnosis of tuberculous arthritis was established by sonographically guided needle aspiration and confirmed by Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultured from the aspiration material. The patient had a good recovery after treatment with antituberculosis drugs. Sonographic examination can be considered an accessible, inexpensive, and radiation-free tool for early diagnosis of tuberculous arthritis.