Health Dictionary

Synonyms and keywords: General abscess, Body abscess, Abscess diseases.

For more information about abscess causes and types, click here.

Differential Diagnosis

The following table summarizes differential diagnosis list for different abscesses in different body parts.

Abscess	Common disease	Less common disease
Anal abscess	Anal fissure Fistula in ano	Proctatitis Hidradenitis suppurativa Bartholin’s abscess
Appendicular abscess	Psoas abscess Cellulitis of right thigh Crohn’s disease	Gastroenteritis Primary peritonitis Ovarian torsion Pelvic inflammatory disease
Brain abscess	Metastatic tumors Lymphomas	Subarachnoid hemorrhage Stroke Neurosyphilis Subdural empyema
Breast Abscess	Mastitis Inflammatory breast cancer	Galactocele Cellulitis Fibroadenoma
Colonic abscess	Crohn’s disease Gastroenteritis	Primary peritonitis Pelvic inflammatory disease
Cutaneous abscess	Folliculitis Suppurative hydradenitis	Epidermoid cyst Nodular lymphangitis Myiasis
Liver abscess	Echinococcal (hydatid) cyst Malignancy (Hepatocellular carcinoma/Metastasis)	—
Lung Abscess	Malignancy (primary lung cancer) Pulmonary Tuberculosis Necrotizing Pneumonia	Empyema Bronchiectasis Sarcoidosis
Pancreatic abscess	Infected pancreatic pseudocyst	Infected necrotic pancreas
Retropharyngeal abscess	Peritonsillar abscess Croup	Epiglottitis Pharyngitis Tonsilitis
Splenic abscess	Splenic cysts Splenic infarct	Splenic hematomas Subphrenic abscess
Tonsillar and peritonsillar abscess	Croup Epiglottitis Tonsilitis	Pharyngitis Retropharyngeal abscess