[Tuberculosis of the posterior vertebral arch. A case report]

Tuberculosis of the spine usually involves the vertebral body and intervertebral disk. Involvement of the posterior arch is rare. We report a case of tuberculosis involving the posterior elements of the T4 and T5 vertebrae in a 38 year old woman. CT is helpful to assess bony structures whereas MRI is ideal to evaluate the neural structures. Clinical, radiographic, and therapeutic considerations regarding tuberculosis of the spine are reviewed.