Brucellar spondylitis: a detailed analysis based on current findings

Three hundred thirty-one cases of brucellosis included in a 10-year prospective protocol were reviewed to identify and follow up patients with spondylitis. Of 20 patients (17 male and three female; mean age, 54 years), spondylitis was diagnosed soon after onset of the brucellosis in 15, there were significant systemic symptoms in 17, and blood cultures were positive for Brucella melitensis in 14. The main symptom was vertebral pain. The commonest radiographic changes were narrowing of the disk and epiphysitis. The discrete character of radiographic alterations and negative uptake on bone scanning caused diagnostic delays in three patients. 99mTc bone scans finally became abnormal in all patients, but were not useful for follow-up because low uptake persisted after the clinical status stabilized. Three patients had paravertebral abscesses; in two of them fever and pain persisted despite antibiotic therapy until diagnosis and surgical drainage. Finally, all patients were cured, ten with sequelae. Brucellar spondylitis often had an acute clinical course with bacteremia. Because neither clinical nor radiographic changes one year after onset were significant, long-term follow-up is not considered necessary except when paravertebral abscess is suspected.     

Surgical treatment for tuberculous spondylitis; a case report]

A 64-year-old woman was admitted with the chief complaints of severe back pain. Chest X-ray film on admission showed an abnormal mass lesion in the right upper mediastinum. Chest tomography and chest CT films revealed destruction of thoracic vertebrae (Th 2 and 3) and paravertebral abscess. Chemotherapy containing RFP was started under diagnosis of active tuberculous spondylitis of thoracic vertebrae. Three months later, curative operation for spondylitis were performed. She underwent the resection of necrotic bone and the anterior spinal fusion using transplanted bone autograft. Her post-operative course was good and she discharged three months after curative operation. Tuberculous spondylitis is still important diseases at the differential diagnosis from metastatic vertebral tumors. This report describes a successful case of surgical treatment for tuberculous spondylitis of thoracic vertebrae.     

AN ATYPICAL LOCALISATION OF TUBERCULOSIS INFECTION IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING HAEMODIALYSIS: A CASE REPORT

Spinal tuberculosis (TB) is a rare skeletal system localisation of TB in haemodialysis patients. In this paper, a case of Pott's disease with a psoas muscle abscess is reported. The patient had been on the dialysis programme for five years and was complaining of back pain, weight loss and weakness, which were investigated. A thoracolumbar magnetic resonance imaging showed multiple paravertebral abscesses invading the psoas muscle. TB diagnosis was made by microbiological analysis of specimen, which was obtained by fine needle aspiration under computerised tomography guidance.     

Transient osteoporosis of the hip: magnetic resonance imaging

We describe a 38-year-old male with abrupt onset of left hip pain. The diagnosis of transient osteoporosis of the hip was made on the basis of the clinical history and characteristic radiographic changes (osteopenia with indistinctness of the subchondral cortex). Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated diffuse decreased signal in the proximal femur without localization to the femoral head and magnetic resonance findings were more obvious than those demonstrated by conventional radiographs. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging after cessation of symptoms were near normal. Magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful in evaluation of patients with acute hip pain.     

Luberculous spondylitis: epidemiologic and clinical study in non-HIV patients from northwest Spain

OBJECTIVES: To study the epidemiology, clinical features, and outcome of non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients diagnosed with tuberculous spondylitis (TS) in a well-defined region of northwestern Spain. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients older than 14 years of age diagnosed with TS at two contiguous areas between 1986 and 1999. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients (19 men; mean age 60.3 years) were diagnosed with TS. The average annual incidence rate of TS was 0.55/100,000 population 15 years of age and older. The thoracic and lumbar regions were affected in most cases. The mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 28 weeks (range 3-129). Active or healed pulmonary tuberculosis was observed in only 30%. The tuberculin skin test was negative in 24%. The most common findings at the time of diagnosis were back pain and elevated ESR (either 89%). Of note, only 19% had fever. On admission plain radiographs disclosed the presence of spondylitis in 84% of the patients. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging yielded conclusive diagnostic data in the cases with normal radiographs, and were very useful in the visualization of abscesses and intraspinal compression. Cultures of material from percutaneous needle aspiration and open bone biopsy were positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 79% and 77% of the cases, respectively. Antituberculous therapy was given to all patients (mean duration of treatment 44 weeks). Surgical procedures were performed in 12 cases, in 7 of them to remove paraspinal and/or epidural abscesses, and in 5 because of neurological complications. Local pain and neurological deficits were the mostfrequent sequelae (16 and 8 cases, respectively). One patient died during the course of treatment due to a co-morbid disease. None of the patients had relapses of tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: TS is a major cause of morbidity. There is a long delay to the diagnosis in most patients. Awareness of its clinical features and early therapy are required to reduce severe complications.     

Use of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging with fast imaging in the detection of early and advanced sacroiliitis in spondylarthropathy patients

Objective. To evaluate the new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method of dynamic MRI with fast imaging in the diagnosis of sacroiliitis among patients with spondylarthropathy. Methods. Fifteen patients with a history of inflammatory back pain without radiographic evidence of grade II or greater sacroiliitis (group 1), 25 patients with definite ankylosing spondylitis (group 2), and 12 patients with noninflammatory spinal pain (controls) (group 3) were examined. Dynamic MRI with fast imaging was performed after intravenous bolus injection of the contrast agent gadolinium—diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid. The degree of enhancement was graded as representing acute sacroiliitis, latent sacroiliitis, or no sacroiliitis. Results. Acute sacroiliitis was detected in 22 of 30 sacroiliac (SI) joints in group 1 patients and in 27 of 50 SI joints in group 2 patients; latent sacroiliitis was seen in 25 of 80 SI joints in patients from groups 1 and 2. No group 3 patient was found to have sacroiliitis. Conclusion. Early sacroiliitis can be demonstrated by dynamic MRI in spondylarthropathy patients in whom abnormalities are not revealed by conventional radiography.     

Osteoarticular complications of brucellosis.

Two hundred and sixty three patients with a diagnosis of brucellosis between January 1984 and December 1987 were studied prospectively. Sixty five patients (25%) developed osteoarticular complications. These patients had a more prolonged course than those with no complications. Spondylitis in 38 (58%) and sacroiliitis in 29 (45%) were the most prevalent. There were no significant laboratory, serological, or bacteriological differences between patients with and without osteoarticular complications. At diagnosis 47 patients (72%) showed radiographic abnormalities, commonly in axial sites but rarely in peripheral sites. Radionuclide bone scan was positive with no radiographic abnormalities in 17 (26%) of cases. Fifty seven patients received medical treatment alone, 51 (89%) being cured with a single course of treatment. Treatment failed or there was a relapse in six patients (11%), of whom five had spondylitis. Eight of the 65 patients (12%), all of whom had spondylitis and paravertebral or epidural abscesses, also required surgical treatment.     

Corticosteroids in the treatment of tuberculous pleurisy. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study

A prospective, double-blind, randomized study of the role of corticosteroids in the treatment of tuberculous pleurisy was performed in 40 patients. All patients received adequate antituberculosis chemotherapy (isoniazid, 300 mg/day; rifampin, 450 mg/day; ethambutol, 20 mg/kg/day) for more than nine months. They were randomly assigned to take prednisolone 0.75 mg/kg/day orally or placebo for the initial treatment, which was tapered gradually for the next two to three months. Twenty-one were treated with steroids and 19 were given a placebo. The two groups were identical with regard to age, sex, duration from onset of symptoms to diagnosis, and initial amount of pleural effusion. The mean duration from symptoms (fever, chest pain, dyspnea) to relief was 2.4 days in the steroid-treated group, and 9.2 days in the placebo group (p less than 0.05). Complete reabsorption of pleural effusion occurred an average of 54.5 days in the steroid-treated group and 123.2 days in the placebo group (p less than 0.01). The development of residual pleural thickening was not influenced by the administration of corticosteroids. No serious side effects were noted during the treatment in either group. We conclude that the administration of corticosteroids, in conjunction with antituberculosis chemotherapy, will resolve the clinical symptoms more quickly and hasten the absorption of pleural effusion in patients with tuberculous pleurisy.     

Primary disability in patients with tuberculous spondylitis and the ways for its decrease]

Causes responsible for invalidity were analysed in 167 patients with a circumscribed form of tuberculous spondylitis. The causes were divided into 4 groups: diagnostic errors; errors in treatment; prognostic errors (late indications to surgical treatment); organizational errors. Heightening of the quality of early diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis at a primary application to a medical institution and timely high-quality specific therapy in the antituberculous institutions will contribute to an increase in treatment effectiveness and invalidity reduction.     

Tuberculous Spondylitis (Pott’s Disease)

A 46-year old Caucasian male nurse presented with a 12-month history of myalgias and leg weakness, remitting thoracic and lumbar back pain, fever, weight loss and night sweats. Blood tests revealed elevated inflammatory activity and anemia. Suspecting vasculitis, an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomographic (18FDG-PET) scan was performed, which demonstrated enhanced uptake in the thoracic and lumbar spine (Figure a). Consistent with these findings, computed tomography (CT) of the spine revealed a large paravertebral abscess (Figure b and Figure c, white arrow) as well as severe spondylodiscitis with destruction of the vertebrae Th 7 and L 1 (Figure c, black arrow). Additionally, CT detected osteolytic lesions of the pelvis, multiple pulmonary lesions and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The paravertebral abscess was drained and histological examination (Figure d, HE, original magnification x 100) demonstrated epitheloidgranulomatous (black arrow) and necrotizing inflammation (white arrow). Polymerase chain reaction and culture of the paravertebral and sputum specimens revealed infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Radiological and microbiological findings thus indicated the diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis (Pott's disease) resulting from disseminated postprimary pulmonary tuberculosis. Treatment was started with isoniazid, ethambutol, rifampicin and pyrazinamide. Symptoms improved markedly after several weeks and the patient recovered well. CT scans performed after 3, 6 and 9 months demonstrated regression of all lesions.The spine is the most frequent site of osseous tuberculous with predominant affection of the upper lumbar and lower thoracic spine. The infection commonly begins in the anterior part of the vertrebal bodies and subsequently involves the disk space, adjoining ligaments and soft tissues. Spinal tuberculosis is frequently accompanied by paraspinal abscesses.     

Tuberculous liver abscess: a case report and review of literature

Tuberculous liver abscess is rare worldwide. We report a 45-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain, fever and weight loss. Ultrasound and computed tomography of the abdomen showed multiple cystic lesions in the liver. Ultrasound guided needle aspiration revealed yellowish brownish aspirate, which was flooded with acid-fast bacilli. The abscess was drained under ultrasound guidance. Subsequent abdominal ultrasound a few days later showed resolution of the abscess cavity. He was concomitantly started on systemic antituberculous therapy. A tuberculous liver abscess has to be thought of in the differential diagnosis of liver abscesses and to consider the role of percutaneous drainage along with systemic antituberculous chemotherapy as an alternative to surgery in the management. A greater awareness of this clinical entity is required for successful treatment.     

Spinal tuberculosis: a longitudinal study with clinical, laboratory, and imaging outcomes

OBJECTIVES: To study imaging changes associated with spinal tuberculosis (ST) over time and evaluate their association with clinical and laboratory data. METHODS: Between 1997 and 2004, patients with proven ST in our institution were prospectively enrolled and treated for 1 year. Clinical and laboratory data were collected at baseline and every 3 months. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed at baseline. MRI was performed at least twice during treatment and at the end of treatment. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were enrolled; neurological signs were present at baseline in 14 patients (74%). Initial MRI/CT findings comprised (in percentages of patients) the following: paravertebral abscesses (100/100); intradiscal abscesses (47/0); and epidural abscesses (82/24) with spinal cord compression (64/18) or radicular compression (36/0). Edema of the vertebral body was observed on initial MRI in all the patients. Full follow-up data were available for 15 patients: all were cured with a mean follow-up of 25 months after the end of treatment. Weight gain was nearly maximal at 6 months, and pain relief was achieved within 9 months. C-reactive protein returned to normal after 3 months. On MRI, all epidural abscesses disappeared within 9 months; paravertebral abscesses disappeared after 3, 6, and 12 months in 45, 50, and 85% of patients, respectively. Vertebral body signal converted to a fatty signal in 75% of cases at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Significant imaging abnormalities can persist after successful treatment of ST. These findings suggest that MRI need not be repeated in patients with clinical and laboratory improvement.     

A case of SAPHO syndrome with destructive spondylodiscitis suspicious of tuberculous spondylitis

We report a rare case of synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome in which the differential diagnosis included tuberculous spondylitis and the patient ultimately required reconstructive spinal surgery. The patient was a 60-year-old woman who presented with severe low-back and leg pain after treatment for tuberculosis. Roentgenography and magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine revealed destructive changes suggestive of tuberculous spondylitis. [¹⁸F]-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed uptake in the cervical spines, lumbar spines, and sacroiliac joints from which she was suspected of having SAPHO syndrome without skin manifestations. However, as her symptoms did not respond to conservative treatment, we performed reconstructive surgery of the lumbar spine. Spinal specimens obtained surgically showed nonspecific inflammation and fibrous hypertrophy of the bone marrow, confirming a diagnosis of the SAPHO syndrome. Her symptoms improved markedly after surgery, although she required occasional prednisolone for moderate polyarthralgia and leg pain.     

New technologies in the surgical treatment of tuberculous spondylitis

The paper deals with surgical treatment in 452 patients with tuberculous spondylitis. The process involved the cervical, thoracic, thoracolumbar, and lumbar parts in 40 (8.8%), 185 (41.0%), 75 (16.8%), and 11 (2.5%) cases, respectively. The active process was found in 125 (27.6%) patients, its loss was detected in 131 (29.1%) cases; the process abated in 196 (43.3%) patients. There were its complicated forms in 341 (75.4%) patients, para- and prevertebral abscesses in 183 (40.4%), epidural abscesses in 26 (5.6%), pareses and paralyses in 71 (15.7%), fistulas in 38 (8.4%), and membranous symptoms in 23 (5.1%). The diagnosis of tuberculous spondylitis was established up to month 3, in 109 (24.1%) patients, up to month 6 in 208 (46.0%), at months 9-12 in 74 (16.4%), at month 12-18 in 61 (13.5%). The concomitant tuberculous involvement of the lung, pleura, kidneys, joints, lymph nodes, and genitals was observed in 139 (30.7%) patients. The resistance of Mycobacteria tuberculosis to antituberculous drugs (streptomycin, isoniazid, and rifampicin) was detected in 139 (30.7%) patients. Of them, 40 (28.8%) patients were unresponsive to two drugs or more. This group of patients received a combined therapy with lomefloxacin and mycobutin on an individual basis. Surgery was made in all the patients; posterior approaches were applied to 44 (9.7%) patients, in 368 (81.4%) anterior approaches were applied to extrafocal apparatus fixation in combination with autograft corporadesis (n = 70), in combination of an autograft and a biocompatible implant with benemycin application (n = 298). The use of these new technologies may expand the scope of operability, reduce surgical traumaticity, initiate early (at day 7-12) rehabilitation of patients, achieve good and satisfactory clinical and functional results by months 4-8 in 81.1% of cases.     

Comprehensive MRI diagnosis of sacral osteomyelitis and multiple muscle abscesses as a rare complication of fistulizing Crohn's disease

Pelvic osteomyelitis is a very uncommon complication of Crohn's disease, usually clinically unsuspected in the setting of acute Crohn's disease relapses.The case of a 21-year old patient is reported, in whom ileo-cecal inflammatory disease was complicated by fistulization to the presacral space and sacral osteomyelitis, plus multiple abscesses involving the iliopsoas, posterior paravertebral and gluteal muscles.As confirmed by surgical and pathological findings, MRI provided comprehensive imaging diagnosis by demonstrating both the pathogenesis and the full extent of the complex, deep pelvic inflammatory process.Low back pain in patients with Crohn's disease should not be underestimated since its differential diagnosis includes serious and potentially life-threatening causes such as osteomyelitis, so prompt assessment with cross sectional imaging, particularly MRI, is necessary.     

Low grade radiographic sacroiliitis as prognostic factor in patients with undifferentiated spondyloarthritis fulfilling diagnostic criteria for ankylosing spondylitis throughout follow up

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate and factors associated with ankylosing spondylitis in a cohort of patients with undifferentiated spondyloarthritides (SpA). METHODS: 62 consecutive patients with undifferentiated SpA seen between 1998 and 1999 underwent clinical and imaging evaluations throughout follow up. The main outcome measure was a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis. RESULTS: 50 patients with peripheral arthritis (n = 35) and inflammatory back pain (n = 24) (26 male; mean (SD) age at onset, 20.4 (8.8) years; disease duration 5.4 (5.7) years) were followed up for 3-5 years. At baseline, >90% of patients had axial and peripheral disease, while 38% had radiographic sacroiliitis below the cut off level for a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (BASDAI 3.9, BASFI 2.9). At the most recent evaluation, 21 patients (42%) had ankylosing spondylitis. Two factors were associated with a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis in multivariate analysis: radiographic sacroiliitis grade <2 bilateral, or grade <3 unilateral (odds ratio (OR) = 11.18 (95% confidence interval, 2.59 to 48.16), p = 0.001), particularly grade 1 bilateral (OR = 12.58 (1.33 to 119.09), p = 0.027), and previous uveitis (OR = 19.25 (1.72 to 214.39), p = 0.001). Acute phase reactant levels, juvenile onset, and HLA-B27 showed a trend to linkage with ankylosing spondylitis (NS). CONCLUSIONS: Low grade radiographic sacroiliitis is a prognostic factor for ankylosing spondylitis in patients originally classified as having undifferentiated SpA. Low grade radiographic sacroiliitis should be regarded as indicative of early ankylosing spondylitis in patients with undifferentiated SpA.     

The nodular form of local hepatic tuberculosis. A review

Local hepatic tuberculosis without active pulmonary or miliary tuberculosis is an uncommon diagnosis. Even less common is the finding of tuberculoma or tuberculous liver abscess without clinical evidence of tuberculosis elsewhere. Since 1950, 21 cases of isolated tuberculoma or tuberculous abscess of the liver have been reported in the world literature. We report an additional two cases, one tuberculoma and one with multiple tuberculous abscesses. The case reports illustrate the difficulty in reaching the correct diagnosis, unsuspected in nearly all cases and most often confused with carcinoma of the liver. The correct diagnosis was made by histology, identification of acid-fast organisms by smear, and by cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but required laparotomy in 19 of the 23 cases. A greater awareness of this rare clinical entity may prevent needless surgical intervention since the vast majority of patients respond well to antituberculous chemotherapy.     

Tuberculous peritonitis--reports of 26 cases, detailing diagnostic and therapeutic problems

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical presentation, biochemical (ascites and serum) and laparoscopic findings, and to assess the efficacy of triple antituberculous therapy without rifampicin for 6 months in patients with tuberculous peritonitis. METHODS: Twenty-six tuberculous peritonitis patients (11 male, 15 female) with a mean age of 34.8 +/- 3.4 years (range 14-77) were assessed with regard to diagnostic and therapeutic features. RESULTS: The most common symptoms and signs were abdominal pain (92.3%) and ascites (96.2%), respectively. Tuberculin skin test (TST) was positive in all patients. An abnormal chest radiography suggestive of previous tuberculosis was present in five patients (19.2%), and two patients (7.7%) had extra-peritoneal (cerebral, pericardial) active tuberculous involvement. In 24 of the 25 patients who underwent laparoscopy with directed biopsy, whitish nodules suggested tuberculous peritonitis; 76% of the biopsy specimens revealed caseating, 20% non-caseating granulomatous inflammation, and 4% non-specific findings. The ascitic fluid of one patient (3.8%) was positive for acid-resistant bacilli, and culture was positive in two patients (7.7%). Twenty-four of the patients were treated for 6 months with isoniazid, streptomycin (total dose 40 g) and pyrazinamide (for the first 2 months and then substituted with ethambutol). Eighteen patients also received methyl prednisolone, initially 20 mg/day, for 1 month. The follow-up period was 19 +/- 1.7 months after the end of therapy (range 6-36). Ascites and abdominal pain abated earlier in patients on steroid therapy. All but two of the 24 patients responded to treatment. CONCLUSION: Non-invasive tests such as acid-fast stain and culture of the ascitic fluid are usually insufficient, hence invasive laparoscopy and peritoneal biopsy are necessary for the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis if non-invasive tests such as ascites adenosine deaminase activity measurement are not easily available. Triple therapy without rifampicin for 6 months is sufficient to treat tuberculous peritonitis.     

Low back pain: epidemiology, etiology, diagnostic evaluation, and therapy

During the past year, investigations involving the etiology, diagnostic evaluation, and therapy of low back pain have reported interesting new data. The natural history of degenerative intervertebral disk disease may be explained by peripheral annular fiber injury that results in damage to the nucleus pulposus. Diurnal changes in patient clinical symptoms and signs may have a correlate in alteration of spinal mechanics that occurs during the course of a day. The diagnostic evaluation of low back pain continues to be revolutionized by magnetic resonance imaging. Although magnetic resonance imaging is able to detect specific lesions with greater sensitivity than other radiographic techniques, correlation between clinical symptoms and signs and anatomic abnormalities is essential for correct diagnosis. Therapeutic controversies continue concerning the efficacy of chiropractic intervention and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation for low back pain patients. Microsurgical techniques for disk removal may prove to be associated with less morbidity than diskectomy with laminectomy, but require additional study.     

Usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosing deep anorectal abscesses

PURPOSE: We evaluated the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging for the preoperative diagnosis of deep anorectal abscesses. METHODS: Subjects were 21 patients with deep anorectal abscesses. Deep anorectal abscesses were classified into two types, ischiorectal and pelvirectal, according to their location. Patients were also classified into a single abscess group, which showed either an ischiorectal or pelvirectal abscess, and a double abscess group, which showed both ischiorectal and pelvirectal abscesses. The final diagnosis was made from surgical findings, and the types of deep anorectal abscesses determined by digital examination and magnetic resonance imaging were compared. RESULTS: Sensitivity of ischiorectal abscesses (20 lesions) with digital examination and magnetic resonance imaging was 75 and 95 percent, respectively, and that of pelvirectal abscesses (10 lesions) with digital examination and magnetic resonance imaging was 60 and 70 percent, respectively. Sensitivity of the magnetic resonance imaging was significantly higher than that of digital examination in ischiorectal abscesses. Diagnostic accuracy of digital examination and magnetic resonance imaging were both 83 percent in the single abscess group (12 patients), whereas in the double abscess group (9 patients) it was 22 and 78 percent, respectively. The rate of accurate diagnosis of magnetic resonance imaging compared with digital examination in the double abscess group was significantly higher than that in the single abscess group. CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging was useful for diagnosing and differentiating ischiorectal and pelvirectal abscesses.