Publication

Abstract : Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a non-fatal, slowly progressive, chronic granulomatous infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae and was first mentioned in ancient Indian texts from sixth century B.C.1 There is preferential involvement of the skin, peripheral nervous system, upper respiratory tract, eyes and testes due to their lower temperature than the core body temperature. The neurotropism of the bacteria and immune-mediated reactions cause much debilitation and mutilation and consequent psychosocial damage. Based on the individual's immune status, leprosy presents as a continuum extending from polar tuberculoid to polar lepromatous leprosy. Patients with all forms of leprosy, but particularly those with the borderline tuberculoid (BT) form may develop abscesses of nerves, most commonly the ulnar nerve (1). This article illustrates the ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of ulnar nerve abscess in a patient with leprosy.