Brucellosis of the spine with a synchronous Staphylococcus aureus pyogenic elbow infection

Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis and pyogenic arthritis has a different pattern in the elderly than in the young. The axial skeleton is the most frequent site of infection and treatment is usually by intravenous antibiotics. We report a case ofStaph. aureus septic arthritis of the elbow with concomitant osteomyelitis of the spine that was thought to be due toStaph. aureus, but culture of debrided material from the lesion grewBrucella in culture. We suggest that in the elderly it is advisable to obtain a tissue culture diagnosis and not to instigate therapy based on positive blood cultures or a concomitant infection.     

MRI gadolinium enhancement of bone marrow: age-related changes in normals and in diffuse neoplastic infiltration

 Objective: To quantify gadolinium-related enhancement in the bone marrow of the spine in normals and in patients with homogeneous diffuse malignant bone marrow infiltration. Design and patients: The patients consisted of two groups: group 1 comprised 94 healthy adults (18–86 years) without bone marrow disease and group 2 comprised 30 patients with homogeneous diffuse malignant bone marrow infiltration due to myeloma (n=20) or breast carcinoma (n=10). All patients received intravenous gadopentetate dimeglumine (Gd-DTPA), 0.1 mmol/kg body weight. Pre- and postcontrast signal intensity (SI) on T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) images (TR/TE: 572 ms/15 ms) was measured over a region of interest (ROI) and the percentage SI increase was calculated. The results were confirmed by bone marrow biopsy (n=20) and clinical parameters (n=10). Dynamic contrast-enhanced studies using a spoiled gradient-recalled-echo (GRE) sequence (TR/TE/α: 68 ms/6 ms 75°) were performed in 10 controls with normal bone marrow. Results and conclusion: Contrast material enhancement in healthy persons can vary greatly (range 3–59%, mean 21%, SD 11%). With increasing age there is a significant decrease in contrast enhancement (Pearson’s correlation, P<0.01). The percentage SI increase in patients with intermediate-grade (biopsy 20–50 vol%) and high-grade (biopsy >50 vol%) diffuse malignant bone marrow infiltration was significantly higher than in normals (mean 67%, SD 34%, P<0.001). Low-grade (biopsy <20 vol%) diffuse malignant bone marrow infiltration can not be assessed by non-enhanced T1-weighted SE images or Gd-DTPA application. In conclusion, contrast material enhancement in healthy persons can vary greatly and is dependent on age, while intermediate-grade and high-grade diffuse malignant bone marrow infiltration can be objectively assessed with SI measurements.     

放射治疗在脊柱骨巨细胞瘤治疗中的价值

作者回顾性评价放射治疗在脊柱骨巨细胞瘤（ＧＣＴ）治疗中的价值。本组１０例（男６例，女４例），年龄１８～３４岁（平均２７岁）。发病部位：颈椎６例，胸腰椎２例，腰、骶椎各１例。Ｊａｆｅ分级：Ⅰ级３例，Ⅰ－Ⅱ级２例，Ⅱ级１例，Ⅲ级２例，未分级２例。治疗方法：（１）单纯放疗治疗颈椎ＧＣＴ３例。（２）先放疗后手术治疗胸腰段ＧＣＴ２例。（３）先手术后放疗治疗颈椎ＧＣＴ３例，腰椎ＧＣＴ１例。（４）手术配合术前与术后放疗治疗骶椎ＧＣＴ１例。随访１．５～２９年（平均１４年）均无复发。５例生活自理，４例恢复工作，１例恢复较差。本组无放疗后恶变。作者认为，脊柱解剖复杂，难以将肿瘤彻底切除，所以手术配合术前术后放疗对脊柱ＧＣＴ的治疗有重要意义。     

Cavernous angiomas of the spinal district: surgical treatment of 11 patients

Cavernous angiomas, also called cavernous malformations or cavernomas, are vascular hamartomas accounting for 3–16% of all angiomatous lesions of the spinal district. Although histologically identical, these vascular anomalies may exhibit different clinical behavior and radiological features, depending on their location, hinting at different managements and therapeutic approaches. The authors report 11 cases of symptomatic spinal cavernous angiomas diagnosed and surgically treated over the past 18 years. Age of patients ranged from 15–75 years; males outnumbered females. Three patients had vertebral cavernous malformations, secondarily invading the epidural space; two had pure epidural lesions; two patients had intradural extramedullary lesions, and four intramedullary lesions. Surgical removal was completely achieved in four patients with intramedullary lesions, in two with subdural extramedullary lesions, and in one with a pure epidural lesion. Subtotal excision of another one epidural and three vertebral cavernous angiomas was followed by radiotherapy. There was no morbidity related to surgery; the mean follow-up was 2 years. The outcome was excellent in two cases, good in six, and unchanged in the other three. The authors discuss the different modalities of treatment of these vascular lesions variously placed along the spine.     

Survey of spinal therapeutic procedures in the United Kingdom

The type and frequency of spinal therapeutic work being undertaken in the United Kingdom (UK) by clinicians with an interest in the surgcial treatment of disorders of the spine (primary and secondary subspecialty interest) were evaluated by means of a postal questionnaire. The willingness of respondents to take part in postgraduate spinal training was determined along with issues regarding accessibility of spinal services to non-specialist physicians in the health service in the UK. The results of 450 respondents provided insight into the types of procedures taking place, for example: primary spinal decompression was regularly carried out by 76% of surgeons, while at least 20% of respondents regularly carried out 66% of the procedures surveyed. We found that 10% of surgeons indicated that they were prepared to participate actively in postgraduate spinal surgical training.     

经椎弓根减压固定和植重组异体骨治疗脊柱脊髓损伤

目的 :探讨严重脊柱脊髓损伤经一侧椎弓根和椎体后缘复位减压 ,经椎弓根植重组异体骨和椎弓根钉固定的可行性及效果。方法 :经一侧椎弓根和椎体后缘复位或截骨减压 ,用特制环锯套管经椎弓根植重组异体骨 ,以X线片和CT片分类分型 ,评估手术前后骨折复位减压和植重组异体骨融合效果 ;按Frank分类标准评估脊髓损伤和恢复程度。结果 :除A级病人外 ,其他病人脊髓神经功能均进步 1～ 2级 ,无感染和断钉病人 ,脊柱后凸角度矫正后再丢失平均 3° ;部分病人术后早期对重组异体骨有反应 ,但几周后可消失。结论 :经一侧椎弓根椎体后缘复位或截骨减压 ,同样可达到较理想脊髓减压效果 ,经椎弓根植重组异体骨和椎弓根钉固定简单、安全、有效。     

Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR in thoracic disc herniations

Summary The Gd-DTPA-enhanced magnetic resonance findings in two patients with herniated thoracic intervertebral discs are reported. The first patient was a 56-year-old woman with a small subligamentous T6-7 disc herniation, slightly lateralized to the right. The second patient was a 51-year-old man with a central and right posterolateral disc herniation, including a large calcified fragment, at the T8-9 level. The nonenhanced MR examination revealed the presence of an extradural mass lesion in both patients, impinging upon the dural sac and compressing and displacing the spinal cord posteriorly. The lesion was slightly hypointense on both T1- and T2-weighted spin echo sequences. Following intravenous injection of Gd-DTPA in a dosage of 0.1 mmol/kg body weight, enhancement of the posterior longitudinal ligament was noted and triangular areas of contrast uptake were seen to occur in the epidural space above and below the herniated disc. At surgery, they were found to correspond to dilated and congested epidural veins.     

Value of polydirectional tomography in the assessment of the postoperative spine after anterior decompression and vertebral body autografting

With the growing number of orthopedic reconstructive spinal procedures, the use of bone grafting has steadily increased in the past decade. An understanding of the biology of bone grafting is essential for both the clinician and radiologist. Despite the advent of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, conventional polydirectional tomography remains an important tool in the evaluation of vertebral body autografts. Trispiral or hypocycloidal tomography plays a valuable role in the assessment of bone graft fusion and possible complications, especially in the presence of metallic fixation devices. We present our imaging experience derived from 375 patients with cervical, thoracic, or lumbar anterior spinal fusion. True graft complications occurred in 27 patients (7%) and consisted of fracture (4%), malpositioning (3%), and infection (<1%).     

Use of gadolinium chelates in MR imaging of the spine

Spinal disease can be divided into intramedullary, extramedullary-intradural, and extradural compartments. In the cord (intramedullary compartment), gadolinium chelates are useful to diagnose primary and metastatic tumors, inflammation, and demyelination, and to evaluate syringomyelia when a Chiari I malformation is not present. In the extra-medulullary-intradural compartment, gadolinium chelates are useful for the diagnosis of drop metastases, meningiomas, and schwannomas. In the extradural compartment, gadolinium chelates are most useful to distinguish recurrent disc herniation from epidural fibrosis in the postoperative back and may be useful to diagnosis the soft tissue component of osseous metastases.     

新型脊柱固定器械的研制与临床应用

自１９８９年以来，临床应用一种新型脊柱固定器械，共６８例，其中５２例为胸腰椎骨折，１６例为椎体滑脱。经临床观察和随访，治疗效果满意。这种新型固定器械，既可行胸腰椎骨折的固定，也可行椎体滑脱的复位。根据临床需要，该器械可行压缩、撑开、成角和中立位固定。作者强调，脊柱损伤只要有手术指征，手术时机甚为重要，应早期或立即手术，有利于脊柱骨折和椎管前方骨块的复位，早期也有利于神经功能的恢复。