The diagnostic value of multislicespiral computed tomography in brucellosis spondylitis

Objective To evaluate the value of multislicespiral computed tomography (MSCT) and multi-planar reconstruction in the diagnosis of brucellosis spondylitis. Methods The findings of MSCT and multi-planar reconstruction of thirty-one cases of brucellosis spondylitis from January 2005 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Among the 31 cases, 2 cases (6.5%) had the lesion located in cervical vertebrae, 2 cases (6.5%) in thoracicral vertebrae, 20 cases (64.5%) in lumbar vertebrae and 4 cases (12.9%) in lumbosac vertebrae. There were 3 cases (9.7%) had single vertebral involved, 25 cases (80.6%) had two vertebral bodies involved and 3 cases (9.7%) had multiple vertebral involved. Twenty-nine of the 31 cases (93.5%) had normal vertebral body shape, 12 cases (38.7%) had normal intervertebral disc, 28 cases (90.3%) had bone hyperplasia; 28 cases (90.3%) had paravertebral abscess, 5 cases (16.1%) had psoas abscess, 8 cases (25.8%) had vertebral disc destruction, 18 cases (58.1%) had spinal canal stenosis. Conclusions MSCT post-processing techniques could make up for the deficiency of the axial computed tomography image. It can clearly show the findings of bone destruction, bone hyperplasia, spinal stenosis and vertebral abscess, which has high value in increasing the diagnosis accuracy of brucellosis spondylitis. Key words: Brucellosis spondylitis; Tomography, spiral computed; Multi-planar reconstruction; Diagnosis