[Tuberculous spondylitis syndrome]

The authors conducted a comprehensive study of 482 patients with suspected tuberculous spondylitis. The commonest diagnostic signs of some spinal diseases, similar to the clinical ones, were defined on clinical, X-ray, laboratory, and thermographic findings. This enabled a differentially diagnostic syndrome including 58 signs to be developed. The proposed syndrome is to facilitate the differential diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis from spinal tumors, degenerative and dystrophic processes, and nonspecific osteomyelitis of the vertebral column.