Computed tomography detection of clinically unsuspected skeletal tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
To report the frequency of clinically unsuspected axial skeletal tuberculosis (STB) and findings on computed tomography (CT).


METHODS
An evaluation of CT chest, abdomen, and pelvis of patients with tuberculosis was done. Bone window images were evaluated for skeletal involvement.


RESULTS
Of the 726 CT studies, 34 (4.7%) patients had skeletal involvement. Thoracic spine was the most commonly affected site with involvement of body in 58% cases. Intervertebral disc involvement, soft tissue abscess, and epidural extension were identified in 83%, 53%, and 39% of cases, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Evaluation of bone window on CT can detect axial STB.
Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012.
Pankaj
P
Gupta
Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012. Electronic address: Image73@gmail.com.
Mahesh
M
Prakash
Department of Internal Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012.
Navneet
N
Sharma
Department of Orthopedics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012.
Rajinder
R
Kanojia
Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012.
Niranjan
N
Khandelwal
D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult
Computed tomography; Skeletal tuberculosis; Spine; Tuberculosis