Magnetic resonance imaging findings of musculoskeletal brucellosis

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of patients with musculoskeletal brucellosis.

Sixty-eight among 304 patients with musculoskeletal brucellosis, aged 12-82 years (average, 50.2 years), were included in the study. Patients were diagnosed based on clinical findings, Brucella agglutination tests, and MRI findings. MRI was performed to all of the patients with sacroiliitis, spondylitis-spondylodiscitis, and peripheral arthritis.

Brucella serum agglutination test was >1/160 in all cases and blood cultures were positive in twelve cases. The most commonly affected site was the spine (57.3%), wherein lumbar vertebrae were found to be most commonly affected. The second most common affected site was sacroiliac joint (26.4%), whereas peripheral joints were affected in 11 cases (16.1%).

Brucellosis may affect various sites in musculoskeletal system. The spine was the most frequently affected site in our study. Sacroiliac joints and the other peripheral joints were less commonly involved sites. Brucellosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of a patient with arthralgia or symptoms of musculoskeletal system disorders especially in endemic areas.