Bacterial suppurative infection of vertebrae and intervertebral disc
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Kim UJ et al: Comparison of pyogenic postoperative and native vertebral osteomyelitis. Spine J. 19(5):880-7, 2019
Boody BS et al: Evaluation and management of pyogenic and tubercular spine infections. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 11(4):643-52, 2018
Dayer R et al: Spinal infections in children: a multicentre retrospective study. Bone Joint J. 100-B(4):542-8, 2018
Lemaignen A et al: Characteristics of and risk factors for severe neurological deficit in patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis: a case-control study. Medicine (Baltimore). 96(21):e6387, 2017
Falip C et al: Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO): a longitudinal case series review. Pediatr Radiol. 43(3):355-75, 2013
Shimizu H et al: Vertebral osteomyelitis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria: case reports and review. J Infect Chemother. 19(5):972-7, 2013
Fantoni M et al: Epidemiological and clinical features of pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 16 Suppl 2:2-7, 2012
Luzzati R et al: The empirical antibiotic therapy of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 41(4):e9, 2012
Metz LN et al: Infectious, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases affecting the athlete's spine. Clin Sports Med. 31(3):535-67, 2012
Pola E et al: Medical and surgical treatment of pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 16 Suppl 2:35-49, 2012
Sehn JK et al: Percutaneous needle biopsy in diagnosis and identification of causative organisms in cases of suspected vertebral osteomyelitis. Eur J Radiol. 81(5):940-6, 2012
Oztekin O et al: Brucellar spondylodiscitis: magnetic resonance imaging features with conventional sequences and diffusion-weighted imaging. Radiol Med. 115(5):794-803, 2010
de Lucas EM et al: CT-guided fine-needle aspiration in vertebral osteomyelitis: true usefulness of a common practice. Clin Rheumatol. 28(3):315-20, 2009
Mylona E et al: Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis: a systematic review of clinical characteristics. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 39(1):10-7, 2009
Toussirot E et al: Spinal cord compression complicating aseptic spondylodiscitis in ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 27(4):654-7, 2009
Dai LY et al: Anterior instrumentation for the treatment of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis of thoracic and lumbar spine. Eur Spine J. 17(8):1027-34, 2008
O'Daly BJ et al: Long-term functional outcome in pyogenic spinal infection. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 33(8):E246-53, 2008
Kowalski TJ et al: Follow-up MR imaging in patients with pyogenic spine infections: lack of correlation with clinical features. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 28(4):693-9, 2007
Solis Garcia del Pozo J et al: Vertebral osteomyelitis: long-term disability assessment and prognostic factors. J Infect. 54(2):129-34, 2007
Ledermann HP et al: MR imaging findings in spinal infections: rules or myths? Radiology. 228(2):506-14, 2003
Love C et al: Diagnosing spinal osteomyelitis: a comparison of bone and Ga-67 scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging. Clin Nucl Med. 25(12):963-77, 2000
Wagner SC et al: Can imaging findings help differentiate spinal neuropathic arthropathy from disk space infection? Initial experience. Radiology. 214(3):693-9, 2000
Carragee EJ: The clinical use of magnetic resonance imaging in pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Spine. 22(7):780-5, 1997
Dagirmanjian A et al: MR imaging of vertebral osteomyelitis revisited. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 167(6):1539-43, 1996
Thrush A et al: MR imaging of infectious spondylitis. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 11(6):1171-80, 1990
Modic MT et al: Vertebral osteomyelitis: assessment using MR. Radiology. 157(1):157-66, 1985
Related Anatomy
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Related Differential Diagnoses
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Pathology
Clinical Issues
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Synonyms
Pyogenic spondylodiscitis, disc space infection
Definitions
Bacterial suppurative infection of vertebrae and intervertebral disc
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Kim UJ et al: Comparison of pyogenic postoperative and native vertebral osteomyelitis. Spine J. 19(5):880-7, 2019
Boody BS et al: Evaluation and management of pyogenic and tubercular spine infections. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 11(4):643-52, 2018
Dayer R et al: Spinal infections in children: a multicentre retrospective study. Bone Joint J. 100-B(4):542-8, 2018
Lemaignen A et al: Characteristics of and risk factors for severe neurological deficit in patients with pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis: a case-control study. Medicine (Baltimore). 96(21):e6387, 2017
Falip C et al: Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO): a longitudinal case series review. Pediatr Radiol. 43(3):355-75, 2013
Shimizu H et al: Vertebral osteomyelitis caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria: case reports and review. J Infect Chemother. 19(5):972-7, 2013
Fantoni M et al: Epidemiological and clinical features of pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 16 Suppl 2:2-7, 2012
Luzzati R et al: The empirical antibiotic therapy of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 41(4):e9, 2012
Metz LN et al: Infectious, inflammatory, and metabolic diseases affecting the athlete's spine. Clin Sports Med. 31(3):535-67, 2012
Pola E et al: Medical and surgical treatment of pyogenic spondylodiscitis. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 16 Suppl 2:35-49, 2012
Sehn JK et al: Percutaneous needle biopsy in diagnosis and identification of causative organisms in cases of suspected vertebral osteomyelitis. Eur J Radiol. 81(5):940-6, 2012
Oztekin O et al: Brucellar spondylodiscitis: magnetic resonance imaging features with conventional sequences and diffusion-weighted imaging. Radiol Med. 115(5):794-803, 2010
de Lucas EM et al: CT-guided fine-needle aspiration in vertebral osteomyelitis: true usefulness of a common practice. Clin Rheumatol. 28(3):315-20, 2009
Mylona E et al: Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis: a systematic review of clinical characteristics. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 39(1):10-7, 2009
Toussirot E et al: Spinal cord compression complicating aseptic spondylodiscitis in ankylosing spondylitis. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 27(4):654-7, 2009
Dai LY et al: Anterior instrumentation for the treatment of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis of thoracic and lumbar spine. Eur Spine J. 17(8):1027-34, 2008
O'Daly BJ et al: Long-term functional outcome in pyogenic spinal infection. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 33(8):E246-53, 2008
Kowalski TJ et al: Follow-up MR imaging in patients with pyogenic spine infections: lack of correlation with clinical features. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 28(4):693-9, 2007
Solis Garcia del Pozo J et al: Vertebral osteomyelitis: long-term disability assessment and prognostic factors. J Infect. 54(2):129-34, 2007
Ledermann HP et al: MR imaging findings in spinal infections: rules or myths? Radiology. 228(2):506-14, 2003
Love C et al: Diagnosing spinal osteomyelitis: a comparison of bone and Ga-67 scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging. Clin Nucl Med. 25(12):963-77, 2000
Wagner SC et al: Can imaging findings help differentiate spinal neuropathic arthropathy from disk space infection? Initial experience. Radiology. 214(3):693-9, 2000
Carragee EJ: The clinical use of magnetic resonance imaging in pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Spine. 22(7):780-5, 1997
Dagirmanjian A et al: MR imaging of vertebral osteomyelitis revisited. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 167(6):1539-43, 1996
Thrush A et al: MR imaging of infectious spondylitis. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 11(6):1171-80, 1990
Modic MT et al: Vertebral osteomyelitis: assessment using MR. Radiology. 157(1):157-66, 1985
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