Unusual forms of spinal tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
The incidence of tuberculosis (TB) is increasing in both developing and developed worlds, and children, in particular, represent a high-risk group for acquiring the disease. TB of the central nervous system is the most severe, life-threatening form of TB in infants and children. Approximately 10% of all patients with TB have central nervous system involvement.


METHODS
We have selected four pediatric cases of unusual spinal TB that presented to our institution during the last 5 years. These include TB arachnoiditis, intramedullary spinal cord tuberculoma, TB spondylitis of the odontoid peg, and one child with tuberculous extradural abscess.


CONCLUSIONS
TB may involve the intramedullary, extramedullary intrathecal compartment, or the extrathecal vertebral compartment in the form of an arachnoiditis, abscess, and spondylitis, respectively, often with unusual imaging presentations.
du Plessis
Jaco
J
Department of Radiology, Tygerberg Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa. drjjdup@hotmail.com
Andronikou
Savvas
S
Theron
Salomine
S
Wieselthaler
Nicky
N
Hayes
Murray
M
D001100:Arachnoiditis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013166:Spondylitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*