MRI features of spinal vertebra, spinal meninges and spinal cord tuberculosis / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To analyze MRI features of tuberculosis of spinal vertebra, spinal meninges and spinal cord. Methods Fifty cases with tuberculosis of spinal vertebra, spinal meninges or spinal cord confirmed by clinical and pathological evaluation were collected in this study. Findings of plain and Gd-DTPA enhanced MRI were retrospectively reviewed. Results In 40 patients with spinal vertebra tuberculosis, there were 137 involved vertebrae, 52 involved intervertebral discs, 30 peri-vertebra cold abscesses, 23 intraspinal abscesses and compression of spinal cord, 29 athological fractures, 12 posterior process of spinal columns, 2 involved appendix. There were 4 cases of spinal meninges tuberculosis, 4 of tuberculous myelitis and 2 combination of tuberculosis of spinal meninges and spinal column. Conclusion MRI, especially the contrast MRI, could accurately and early demonstrate the morphological and pathological changes of tuberculosis of spinal vertebra, spinal meninges and spinal cord.