Computed tomography (CT) of 15 patients with spinal tuberculosis were retrospectively analized in comparison with conventional radiography, which were examined from June 1983 to October 1985 at Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital.
The loss of intervertetral disc height was shown as Well by plain film as by CT imaging. However, CT was more effective in demonstrating erosion of the vertebral endplate, multifocal destruction of the vertetral body, and the full exetnt of combined paraspinal atscess(13/15,87%).CT showed a soft tissue mass, epidural abscess, and bony fragment in spinal canal which caused cord compression (8/15,53%)
CT is useful both in diagnosis and in the adequate therapy, especial1y for the advanced cases of spinal tuberculosis with localized neurologic signs.
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