EVALUATION FOR CT CRITERIA OF GRANULOMATOUS INFECTION AND TUMOUR OF SPINE

Abstract

To develop criteria to distinguish between granulomatous infection and neoplastic process in the spine by mean of the computed tomography scan (CT scan), the authors retrospectively analyzed 31 cases of granulomatous infection and 13 cases of neoplastic dis- case. The result was that the reliable criteria for granulomatous infection were diffuse bony destruction, contiguous levels of spinal involvement, absence of posterior element involve- ment, presence of "complete" pattern of prevertebral soft tissue, and presence of disc involvemant. Neoplastic diseases were characterized by focal bony destruction, seperated levels of spinal involvement, presence of posterior element involvement, "partial" pattern of prevertebral soft tissue, and absence of disc involvement. Blinded testing of these criteria is potential for improving diagnostic accuracy in clinical practice.