Centrosomatic tuberculosis: radiographic features in 10 cases

We report a series of 10 cases of centrosomatic tuberculosis of the the spi ne. The mean age of the patients was 36 years, Plain x-rays of the spine sh owed isolated defects in 3 cases, a defect with wedge fracture in 3 and a w edge fracture alone in 2. A sequestrum was found in 2 cases and bony conden sation around the defect in 6 A CT scan performed in 3 cases showed, in add ition to the bone lesions, a perilesional bony condensation in all cases. S oft tissue abscess formation was noted in I case and epidural involvement i n the 2 others. MRI performed in 2 cases evidenced an alteration of the ver tebral body signal with localized anterior epiduritis at the site of a smal l epidural abscess. CT scan and MRI contribute usefully to the radiographic diagnosis of centro somatic tuberculosis evidencing sequestra, bony condensation at the periphe ry of defects, and the presence of soft tissue abscesses and or epidural in volvement. When these signs are absent, the differential diagnosis may be d ifficult with other causes of tumor formation, requiring vertebral biopsy.