J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2006 Nov;40(5):351-356.

Serial Changes of MR Images Throughout the Stages of Infection of Spondylodiscitis

• Kwon TH
• Shin ZZ
• Kuh SU
• Yoon YS
• Cho YE
• Kim YS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Spondylodiscitis has been diagnosed by clinical, radiological and laboratory methods. MR imaging is well known as an excellent diagnostic tool for spondylodiscitis. However, the changes in MR images throughout the treatment process has not been studied. Thus we have analyzed the serial changes of MR images throughout the stages of infection.
METHODS
Ten patients were selected for retrospective reviewed who had been treated at our institute for infectious spondylodiscitis between 2000 and 2005. These patients had been followed-up at least six months and had taken more than a couple of series of MR scans. We classified the MR images into four groups according to the stages of treatment for the infection and compared them to the clinical and laboratory findings.
RESULTS
MR image signals changed minimally or appeared to be normal in the early stages. The progression of spondylodiscitis was characterized by a low T1 WI signal and a high T2 WI signal in disc and vertebral body. The signal changes of the MR images were then propagated and the endplate was destructed. During the treatment, the destructed endplate became stabilized and the signal intensity of both T1 and T2 WI were fixed to low-or iso-intensity.
CONCLUSION
We can determine the serial signal changes based on MR images according to the treatment of spondylodiscitis. We can therefore determine the status of the infection and the stage of treatment, as well as the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis using serial MR images.

Keyword

Spondylodiscitis; MR image; Infection; C-reactive protein

MeSH Terms

C-Reactive Protein
Diagnosis
Discitis*
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Retrospective Studies
C-Reactive Protein