J Korean Radiol Soc.  1986 Oct;22(5):848-857. 10.3348/jkrs.1986.22.5.848.

Radiological evaluation of tuberculous spondylitis with computed tomography

• Lim SS
• Kim CH
• Cho JS
• Rhee BC

• KMID: 2462290
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1986.22.5.848

Abstract

Spinal tuberculosis is curable disease, and early diagnosis is mandatory for early treatment. We reviewedconventional radiographies and CT from Histopathologically confirmed 30 cases of spinal tuberculosis, and comparedthese findings with radiologic findings from 2 cases of pyogenic spondylitis and 4 cases of meastasis. The resultswere as follows: 1. The frequnet site of involvement were thoracolumbar juntion and low lumbar vertebrae, and themost frequent type is multisegmented subligamentous type (93.3%). 2. CT was not of great use in the diferentaldiagnosis of the tuberculosis. Dominant CT findings of tuberculous spondylitis were anterior vertebral bodydestruction, paravertebral soft-tissue mass and thick walled abscess formation occasionally containingcalcification and disc space narrowing, in the setting of an indolent or relatively benign course. 3. CT is thebest modality for imaging the extent and anatomy of the destructive process, the degree of canal encroachment, andthe change of adjacent vital structure. So CT was particularily useful in pre-operative planing of debridement andstabilization surgery. 4. The most common causes of neurologic manifestations in tuberculous spondylitis were thecompression of spinal cord by sequestrated bony fragments and disc material, granulation tissue or abscess in thespinal canal.

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Debridement
Early Diagnosis
Granulation Tissue
Lumbar Vertebrae
Neurologic Manifestations
Spinal Cord
Spondylitis*
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, Spinal