[Radiological profile in 92 children suffering from Pott's disease]

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyse the radiological profile in 92 patients with Pott's disease and to identify severity factors. Among these subjects, aged from 11 months to 15 years old (average: 7.5 years), 37% of children had neurological signs; the HIV test was positive in 11 % of cases. Localisations were mainly dorsal (61%) and thoracic (49%). They were often associated. Almost all patients had lesions on one vertebra (31.5%) or 2 vertebrae (38%). Most of lesions were spondylitis (61%), paravertebra abscess (35%) and compressing vertebra (34%). The severity of vertebra localisations was correlated with late diagnosis and presence of neurological complication, while a high sedimentation rate didn't appear to be a factor of severity. Therefore radiology remains essential in Pott's disease evaluation providing precious information for the diagnosis and prognosis of spine tuberculosis.