Alsaleh Bano, Alanzi Ahmed, Alatefi Dawood, Heetawala Nida, Asiri Yasser N, Aladel Fouad
Radiology Department, King Hamad University Hospital, Building 2435, Road 2835, Block 228, PO Box 24343, Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain.
Anaesthesia and Pain Management Department, King Hamad University Hospital, Building 2435, Road 2835, Block 228, PO Box 24343, Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain.
Radiol Case Rep. 2025 Sep 6;20(12):5785-5789. doi: 10.1016/j.radcr.2025.08.045. eCollection 2025 Dec.
Dracunculiasis (Guinea worm disease) is a parasitic infection caused by Dracunculus medinensis, now nearing global eradication. We report a rare case from a nonendemic region involving a 75-year-old woman with a 10-day history of dull, radiating left hip pain and intermittent discomfort for 2 months. Examination revealed localized tenderness, mild muscle weakness, and restricted hip mobility. Laboratory results were normal. Pelvic radiography and computed tomography demonstrated dense, serpentine intramuscular calcifications along the left adductor muscles, highly suggestive of a calcified D. medinensis. Given the patient's clinical history, imaging findings, and regional rarity of the disease, a presumptive diagnosis was made without histological confirmation. The patient improved with physiotherapy and declined surgery. This case highlights the need to consider parasitic infections in the differential diagnosis of intramuscular calcifications, even in countries where the disease is considered eradicated, to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary interventions.
麦地那龙线虫病（几内亚蠕虫病）是由麦地那龙线虫引起的一种寄生虫感染，目前已接近全球根除。我们报告了一例来自非流行地区的罕见病例，患者为一名75岁女性，有10天的左侧臀部钝痛、放射痛病史，以及2个月的间歇性不适。检查发现局部压痛、轻度肌肉无力和髋关节活动受限。实验室检查结果正常。骨盆X线摄影和计算机断层扫描显示沿左侧内收肌有致密的、蜿蜒的肌内钙化，高度提示为钙化的麦地那龙线虫。鉴于患者的临床病史、影像学表现以及该疾病在该地区的罕见性，在未进行组织学确认的情况下做出了初步诊断。患者经物理治疗后病情好转，拒绝手术。该病例强调，即使在被认为已根除该疾病的国家，在肌内钙化的鉴别诊断中也需要考虑寄生虫感染，以避免误诊和不必要的干预。
