title: Isolated solitary vertebral body tuberculosis--study of seven cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in isolated solitary vertebral body tuberculosis. Also to emphasize tuberculosis as an important entity, besides neoplasms, in the differential diagnosis of pathologies involving a single vertebral body.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical and imaging features of seven patients (four men and three women; age range 18-60 years), with proved solitary vertebral body tuberculosis were retrospectively studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Isolated solitary vertebral body tuberculosis is seen in only 1.69% of the total proven cases of spine tuberculosis seen in our institute between 1993 and 2002. All patients presented with constitutional symptoms and localized pain and tenderness. MRI showed decreased signal intensity on T1-weighted images and increased signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Cortical break was seen in three patients of whom epidural and pre-vertebral extensions were seen in one each.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although tuberculosis affecting a solitary vertebral body is rare it should be considered as an important differential diagnosis, besides neoplasms. In these cases MRI serves as the best imaging technique available for diagnosis. However, confirmation can only be made on histopathology or culture of the specimen.
authors.affiliation: Department of MRI, Dr Balabhai Nanavati Hospital and Research Center, Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lolge
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maheshwari
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Patkar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chawla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging