Magnetic resonance imaging findings of patients with brucellar and tuberculosis spondylodiscitis

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to discuss and compare magnetic resonancemaging (MRI) findings of brucellosis and tuberculosis spondylodiscitis.Materials and Methods: Eleven patients with brucellar spondylodiscitis and seven patients withuberculosis spondylodiscitis according to findings of clinics, laboratory and MRI were included tohis retrospective study. Fat-saturated and non fat-saturated T1 and T2 images, STIR imagesShort Tau Inversion Recovery) were evaluated using 1.5 Tesla MRI equipment. Vertebralbodies, discs, epidural space and paravertebral soft tissues were also evaluated for involvementof the diseases.Results: Intervertebral disc involvement was seen in all of the cases. Multifocal involvement waseen in one patient with brucellosis and five patients with tuberculosis. Paravertebral soft tissuenvolvement was seen in all of the patients with tuberculosis and six patients with brucellosis.Epidural involvement was seen in six patients with brucellosis and tuberculosis. Bone erosionswere seen in all patients with tuberculosis and five patients with brucellosis. Paravertebralabscess was seen in six patients with tuberculosis and two patients with brucellosis.Conclusions: Huge vertebral destruction and paravertebral abscess formation, multifocalnvolvement may suggest tuberculosis related spondylodiscitis more than brucellar