title: Pediatric and adult spinal tuberculosis: imaging and pathophysiology.
abstract: The prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) has increased in developing and developed countries as a consequence of the AIDS epidemic, immigration, social deprivation, and inadequate TB control and screening programs. Spinal TB may be osseous or nonosseous. Classic findings of multiple contiguous vertebral body involvement, gibbus formation, and subligamentous spread with paravertebral abscesses are optimally evaluated with MR imaging. Nonspondylitic spinal TB is less well described in the literature, may develop in the absence of TB meningitis, and is often associated with meningovascular cord ischemia. Radiologists should be familiar with the spectrum of imaging findings, allowing early diagnosis and treatment of this serious condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Radiology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa. Electronic address: tracykilborn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kilborn
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Regina General Hospital, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 1440-14th Avenue, Regina SK S4P 0W5, Canada.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Janse van Rensburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Main Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Candy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: MR imaging; Spinal infection; Tuberculosis