Incomplete situs inversus an incidental computed axial tomography finding in a patient who presented with abdominal swelling and chronic cough: a case report in a specialist hospital in port harcourt, rivers state Nigeria

Incomplete situs inversus or situs inversus partialis is a rare congenital malformation usually diagnosed in childhood, in adults it can lead to misdiagnosis. It is a condition in which some organs of the thorax and / or abdomen are inverted and others are as they are. A 0.2% to 0.5% is estimated to be its prevalence. The diagnosis of situs inversus can also be made in adulthood as is the case in the present study. A 54-year-old male patient who was seen at the medical outpatient for acute abdominal swelling which had progressively increased for past two weeks and cough for one month with a medical history of Retroviral disease. A diagnosis of abdominal swelling of an unknown origin with possible pulmonary tuberculosis was made. An abdominopelvic and chest computed axial tomography (CT) scan revealed the liver, stomach and spleen to be on the right but with the heart in place suggesting an incomplete situs inversus alongside moderate ascites. The most feared complication is total volvulus of the small intestine which was absent in this patient. The chest shows hyperdense pulmonary lesions in keeping with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Conclusion: The diagnosis of situs inversus is usually made when patient presents with a pathology that leads to a medical consultation as it is frequently asymptomatic. CT is one of the key paraclinical examinations that leads to its diagnosis as genetic tests are not readily available.