title: Differentiation between Tuberculous Spondylitis and Pyogenic Spondylitis on MR Imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to compare the magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of tuberculous spondylitis with pyogenic spondylitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  MR images of the spines of 41 patients with infectious spondylitis at our institution over 8-years of period were retrospectively reviewed. Eighteen patients with infective spondylitis were excluded because their results on the marrow biopsy and culture were negative. MR imaging findings in 6 patients with tuberculous spondylitis (3 male, 3 female) were compared with those of 17 patients (10 male, 7 female) with pyogenic spondylitis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two MR imaging findings were statiscally significant in differentiating the tuberculous spondylitis from pyogenic spondylitis: a well defined paraspinal abnormal signal and a thin and smooth abscess wall. There were no significant differences in the following MR imaging findings: paraspinal abscess or intraosseous abscess, subligamentous spread to three or more vertebra, involvement of multiple vertebra, hyperintense signal on T2-weighted images, heterogenous low signal on T1-weighted images, involvement of posterior element, epidural extension, involvement of intervertebral disk, disk space narrowing, rim enhancement of the abscess, skip lesion, and endplate destruction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MR imaging is an appropriate modality for differentiation of tuberculous spondylitis from pyogenic spondylitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong-Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Radilogy, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Seon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jong Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Young
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Seong
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Eom
keywords: MR Imaging; Pyogenic; Spondylitis; Tuberculous