title: Imaging and management of postoperative spine infection.
abstract: Imaging evaluation of postoperative spinal infection is challenging. A systematic approach and keen understanding of multimodality imaging techniques, as well as knowledge of the patient's surgical procedure and clinical presentation, are critical for the radiologist to render an accurate diagnosis. Because of the overlap between diagnostic imaging findings in the postoperative spine and the infected spine, in those situations in which the index of clinical suspicion for spine infection is high, then immediate consideration ought to be given to performing a spine biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Winthrop-University Hospital, 259 First Street, Mineola, NY 11501, USA. Electronic address: jmazzie@winthrop.org.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mazzie
authors.affiliation: Division of Musculoskeletal and Interventional Radiology, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: New York Medical College at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gnerre
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015299:Discitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D061705:Image-Guided Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
keywords: Epidural abscess; Infection; Postoperative spine; Spine surgery; Spondylodiskitis