Tuberculous spondylodiscitis: MR imaging findings

Purpose: To evaluate the MR imaging findings of tuberculous spondylodiscitis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the MR images of 15 patients who were diagnosed as tuberculous spondylodiscitis with percutaneous or intraoperative biopsy. T1 and T2-weighted axial and sagittal and post-contrast axial and sagittal T1-weighted spin-echo sequences were reviewed. Results: Involvement of the vertebrae and discs were seen in all patients. The most common involvement site was thoracolumbar region. Typically, affected vertebrae and discs were hyperintense on T2-weighted images, hypointense on T1-weighted images and showed contrast enhancement. There were paravertebral soft tissue masses in 14, vertebral body compression in 12, epidural extension in ten, kyphosis in seven, involvement of the posterior vertebral elements in two and skip lesions in three patients. Conclusion: The characteristic MR imaging features of tuberculous spondylodiscitis include T1 and T2 prolongation of the affected vertebrae and discs with contrast enhancement, vertebral bony destruction with associated paravertebral soft tissue mass, often abscess formation, epidural extension, and kyphosis. MR imaging is a reliable modality in demonstrating and characterizing the spinal tuberculosis.