Radiology image features of the elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis
- VernacularTitle:老年人脊柱结核的影像表现特点
- Author:
Wei LI
;
Zhuyong LI
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Tuberculosis,spinal;
Radiolography
- From:
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics
2003;0(09):-
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To analyze features of radiology images for elderly spinal tuberculosis. Methods All 26 elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis were examined with X-ray plain film,9 patients were examined by CT,6 by MRI,other 11 by both CT and MRI. The image manifestations were compared with that of 30 non-elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis. Results All of elderly cases showed bone destruction and intervertebral space narrowing on plain film,16 out of 20 cases examined by CT showed paraspinal abscess and 5 cases showed high density intraosseous sequestrum;among 17 by MRI examination,3 showed significant paraspinal abscess and 11 showed small abscess. Conclusions The diagnosis for spinal tuberculosis often remains elusive because of the indolent nature in the elderly patients. It is hard to differentiate it from other lesions such as vertebral metastasis. The following manifestations are helpful for spinal tuberculosis diagnosis: the location of vertebral body destruction adjacent to the end plate,involvement of the adjacent intervertebral disk or verbebral body resulting from penetration through the disk itself or spread of infection beneath the anterior longitudinal or posterior longitudinal ligament.
