ABSTRACT
Objective This study was to investigate the computed tomography(CT)features differentiating tuberculous spondyli-tis from pyogenic spondylitis.Methods The CT features in 32 patients with tuberculous spondylitis and 30 patients with pyogenic spondylitis were retrospectively reviewed,and statistically analyzed.Results In 32 cases of tuberculous spondylitis,71 vertebra were involved.In 30 cases of pyogenic spondylitis,59 vertebra were involved.The incidence of thoracic vertebra involvement in tuberculous spondylitis was 60.56% (43/71),which was higher than that in pyogenic spondylitis (25.42%,1 5/59)(P <0.05).The incidence of lumbar vertebra involvement in tuberculous spondylitis was 33.80% (24/71 ),which was lower than that in pyogenic spondylitis (61.02%,36/59)(P <0.05).The incidence of the worm-eaten type of bone destruction in tuberculous spondylitis was 9.90% (7/71),which was lower than that in pyogenic spondylitis (44.07%,26/59)(P <0.05).The incidence of the fragmentary type of bone destruction in tuberculous spondylitis was 1 9.72%(14/71 ),which was higher than that of in pyogenic spondylitis (3.39%,2/59) (P <0.05).The incidence of large osteosclerosis in tuberculous spondylitis was 52.1 1%(37/71),which was higher than that in pyo-genic sp-ondylitis (22.03%,13/59),(P <0.05).The incidence of the involved vertebral height on sagital CT scan (less than the 1/2 of the normal vertebral height)in tuberculous spondylitis was 1 6.9% (12/71),which was lower than that in pyogenic spondylits (62.71%,37/59)(P <0.05).The incidence of patchy high density shadow in tuberculous spondylitis was 50.7% (36/71 ),which was higher than that in pyoge-nic spondylitis (20.34%,12/59)(P <0.05.)The incidence of the involvement of the appendages in tu-berculous spondylitis was 25.35% (18/71),which was higher than that in pyogenic spondylitis (8.47%,5/59)(P <0.05).The inci-dence of paravertebral abnormal soft tissue with calcification in tuberculous spondylitis was 60.00%(18/30),which was higher than that in pyogenic spondylitis(20.00%,5/25 )(P < 0.05 ).Conclusion Tuberculous spondylitis and pyogenic spondylitis have some characteristic imaging features,combined with the clinical signs differentiation diagnosis can be made each other.