Vertebral arch tuberculosis in two human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive heroin addicts.
We studied two cases of disseminated tuberculosis with vertebral arch involvement in drug addicts seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus. The first patient developed a paraplegia while he was recovering from a meningeal tuberculosis. On the abdominal plain roentgenogram, the right transverse process of L-2 was absent, and a computed tomographic scan revealed destruction of the right vertebral arch together with a collection in the paravertebral area. The second patient had miliary tuberculosis and complained of lumbar pain. The radiologic findings were similar to those in the first case, but at the L-4 level.
Mallolas
J
J
Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.
Gatell
J M
JM
Rovira
M
M
Conget
J I
JI
Trilla
A
A
Soriano
E
E
D000328:Adult; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000209:etiology*