title: CT appearance of a prosthetic methyl methacrylate mass mistaken for abscess.
abstract: A nonopaque methyl methacrylate mass that had the appearance of an abscess in a postoperative CT scan of the spine is described. Contained gas produced an attentuation range of +20 to -300 HU, with an average of -80 to -250 HU. This finding was confirmed by CT examination of a separate cement mass removed from a similar patient.
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001415:Back / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008768:Methylmethacrylates; D008875:Middle Aged; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D008768:Methylmethacrylates