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Updated: Mar 26, 2026
06:23
Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Human Brucellar Spondylodiscitis
Published on: May 23, 2021
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Thoracic spondylodiscitis presenting as abdominal pain.
Matthew Luney1, Alfred Adiamah2, Lydia Pearson3
1Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, UK Department of General Surgery, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Aylesbury, UK.
BMJ Case Reports
|January 29, 2016
Summary
Infective spondylodiscitis can mimic abdominal pain, leading to delayed diagnosis. This case shows how spinal infections may present as abdominal symptoms, requiring thorough investigation.
Area of Science:
- Medical Case Study
- Infectious Disease
- Spinal Imaging
Background:
- A 42-year-old woman presented with weeks of worsening lower rib pain, initially treated for costochondritis.
- Further evaluation revealed right upper quadrant tenderness, fever, and neutrophilia, prompting surgical consultation for suspected cholecystitis or pancreatitis.
Observation:
- Direct questioning identified back pain as the predominant symptom.
- CT imaging showed unremarkable abdominal organs but incidentally revealed thickened prevertebral soft tissues and vertebral endplate irregularity at T9-T10.
- MRI confirmed infective spondylodiscitis at the T9-T10 level.
Findings:
- The patient recovered well with intravenous antimicrobial treatment.
- This case illustrates that infective spondylodiscitis can present insidiously with abdominal pain as a primary manifestation.
Implications:
- Highlights the importance of considering spinal pathology in patients with unexplained abdominal pain.
- Emphasizes the role of advanced imaging like MRI in diagnosing spinal infections.
- Underscores the potential for delayed diagnosis of spondylodiscitis when symptoms are atypical.
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