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CT findings in tuberculous spondylitis
L Pantongrag-Brown1, N Suwanwela
1Department of Radiology, Chulalongkorn University Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
Australasian Radiology
|February 1, 1992
Summary
Computed tomography (CT) effectively reveals spinal tuberculosis (TB) by showing vertebral destruction and soft tissue masses. CT imaging offers superior detail compared to conventional roentgenography for assessing TB
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Spinal Imaging
Background:
- Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is a significant cause of morbidity.
- Accurate imaging is crucial for diagnosis and management.
- Conventional roentgenography has limitations in fully assessing disease extent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the computed tomographic (CT) features of spinal tuberculosis.
- To compare the efficacy of CT with conventional roentgenography in evaluating spinal TB.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of CT scans from ten confirmed cases of spinal tuberculosis.
- Detailed evaluation of vertebral body destruction, paravertebral soft tissue masses, neural arch involvement, calcification, and contrast enhancement patterns.
- Comparison of CT findings with conventional roentgenography.
Main Results:
- All ten cases demonstrated vertebral body destruction and paravertebral soft tissue masses.
- Four cases showed extension into neural arches; two had paraspinal calcification.
- Contrast-enhanced CT revealed rim enhancement in fluid collections in two cases.
- CT provided better delineation of bony destruction, spinal canal involvement, and soft tissue mass extent than conventional roentgenography.
Conclusions:
- Computed tomography is highly effective in characterizing the imaging features of spinal tuberculosis.
- CT offers superior diagnostic value over conventional roentgenography for assessing the full extent of spinal TB, including bony and soft tissue involvement.