BRUCELLAR SPONDYLITIS MIMICKING LUMBAR DISC HERNIATION - CASE-REPORT

In this paper, a patient with brucellar spondylitis who was initially diagnosed as having a lumbar disc herniation is presented. As the disc tissue enlarges in the early stages of discitis because of the inflam matory reaction, it may compress the related root(s) mimicking a disc herniation. For this reason infectious discitis, as in our case, shoul d be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of the radicular sympt oms caused by a disc herniation. The crucial role of magnetic resonanc e imaging in making the differential diagnosis of the case is especial ly emphasized.