Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review

Spondylodiscitis is an infection of the intervertebral disc, the adjacent vertebral body, and/or contiguous structures due to the introduction of infectious agent, usually by the hematogenous route. Imaging is crucial in assessing bacterial and tubercular spondylodiscitis, as well as their associate...

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Main Authors: Claudia Lucia Piccolo, Alberta Villanacci, Federica Di Stefano, Nicoletta Fusco, Davide Roberto Donno, Massimo Cristofaro, Fabrizio Taglietti, Stefania Ianniello
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Biomedicines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/11/2566
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author Claudia Lucia Piccolo
Alberta Villanacci
Federica Di Stefano
Nicoletta Fusco
Davide Roberto Donno
Massimo Cristofaro
Fabrizio Taglietti
Stefania Ianniello
author_facet Claudia Lucia Piccolo
Alberta Villanacci
Federica Di Stefano
Nicoletta Fusco
Davide Roberto Donno
Massimo Cristofaro
Fabrizio Taglietti
Stefania Ianniello
author_sort Claudia Lucia Piccolo
collection DOAJ
description Spondylodiscitis is an infection of the intervertebral disc, the adjacent vertebral body, and/or contiguous structures due to the introduction of infectious agent, usually by the hematogenous route. Imaging is crucial in assessing bacterial and tubercular spondylodiscitis, as well as their associated complications. Magnetic resonance imaging in particular can clearly depict osteo-structural changes in the vertebral body and the associated disc, as well as any soft-tissue complications, such as paravertebral abscess and/or epidural abscess, improving disease characterization and helping to recognize the agent involved. Nevertheless, other non-infectious diseases may mimic imaging appearances of spondylodiscitis and one should be aware of these conditions when interpreting MR images, which include Modic type I degenerative changes, ankylosing spondylitis, acute Schmorl’s node, porotic fractures, and spinal neuropathy arthropathy. This pictorial review aims at describing imaging findings of bacterial and non-bacterial spondylodiscitis, complications, and those pathologies that mimic these infections.
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spelling doaj-art-ed1d4de2962d40a2a04bb97acf56a1d82025-08-20T02:28:11ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592024-11-011211256610.3390/biomedicines12112566Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial ReviewClaudia Lucia Piccolo0Alberta Villanacci1Federica Di Stefano2Nicoletta Fusco3Davide Roberto Donno4Massimo Cristofaro5Fabrizio Taglietti6Stefania Ianniello7Department of Radiology, Fondazione Policlinico Campus Bio-Medico, 00128 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Radiology, National Institute for Infectious Disease “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, 00149 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Radiology, National Institute for Infectious Disease “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, 00149 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Radiology, National Institute for Infectious Disease “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, 00149 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Infectious Disease, National Institute for Infectious Disease “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, 00149 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Radiology, National Institute for Infectious Disease “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, 00149 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Infectious Disease, National Institute for Infectious Disease “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, 00149 Rome, ItalyDepartment of Radiology, National Institute for Infectious Disease “Lazzaro Spallanzani”, 00149 Rome, ItalySpondylodiscitis is an infection of the intervertebral disc, the adjacent vertebral body, and/or contiguous structures due to the introduction of infectious agent, usually by the hematogenous route. Imaging is crucial in assessing bacterial and tubercular spondylodiscitis, as well as their associated complications. Magnetic resonance imaging in particular can clearly depict osteo-structural changes in the vertebral body and the associated disc, as well as any soft-tissue complications, such as paravertebral abscess and/or epidural abscess, improving disease characterization and helping to recognize the agent involved. Nevertheless, other non-infectious diseases may mimic imaging appearances of spondylodiscitis and one should be aware of these conditions when interpreting MR images, which include Modic type I degenerative changes, ankylosing spondylitis, acute Schmorl’s node, porotic fractures, and spinal neuropathy arthropathy. This pictorial review aims at describing imaging findings of bacterial and non-bacterial spondylodiscitis, complications, and those pathologies that mimic these infections.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/11/2566vertebral infectionspondylodiscitistubercular infectionspine infectionparavertebral abscess
spellingShingle Claudia Lucia Piccolo
Alberta Villanacci
Federica Di Stefano
Nicoletta Fusco
Davide Roberto Donno
Massimo Cristofaro
Fabrizio Taglietti
Stefania Ianniello
Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review
Biomedicines
vertebral infection
spondylodiscitis
tubercular infection
spine infection
paravertebral abscess
title Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review
title_full Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review
title_fullStr Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review
title_full_unstemmed Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review
title_short Spondylodiscitis and Its Mimickers: A Pictorial Review
title_sort spondylodiscitis and its mimickers a pictorial review
topic vertebral infection
spondylodiscitis
tubercular infection
spine infection
paravertebral abscess
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/12/11/2566
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