Novel magnetic resonance imaging scoring system for diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis: A preliminary report

BACKGROUND: There exists a lot of ambiguity in the preoperative diagnosis of the various vertebral lesions. Mostly in these patients tuberculosis of spine (TB) is suspected due to endemicity of the disease in the Indian subcontinent. However, no definite guidelines are available to diagnose tuberculous (TB) vertebral lesions in the current literature. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, from August 2009 to March 2012. AIM OF THE STUDY: To formulate non invasive methods to diagnose tuberculous vertebral lesions confidently so that the dependency on histopathologic diagnosis can be reduced. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Spinal MRI images of 45 patients suspected of having tuberculosis aetiology were included in the study prospectively. RESULTS: A total of 64 patients were analysed and 19 patients were excluded due to lack of regular follow up or histological proof. The patients were divided into two groups; those with TB of the spine and those with some other condition affecting the spine (non TB spine) based on the final diagnosis. Of the 45 patients males were 30 (66.6%) and females were 15 (33.3%). There was no significant difference in the mean age of presentation. For TB patients this was 41 ± 15.56 years and in Non TB was 43 ± 18.27 years. All patients presented with backache in either group. There was epiphyseal involvement (100%), disc height reduction (71.42%) and pedicle destruction (42.82%) in plain X-rays in the TB group. Lumbar spine was the most common affected region in our study (26.31% in non TB and 34.6% in TB group of patients). Significant P value and the Odds Ratio was found for T1 hypo intensity, T2 hyper intensity, epiphyseal involvement, disc involvement, pedicle involvement, anterior subligamentous extension, paraspinal extension and no spinous process involvement (eight parameters). The eight parameters were tested among both the groups and it was noted that scores ≥ 6 favored a tuberculous pathology whereas ≤4 were suggestive of non tuberculous etiology. CONCLUSIONS: The eight point MRI criteria of the vertebral lesions are likely to enhance the diagnostic ability of tuberculous and non tuberculous pathologies thereby reducing the dependency on histopathologic diagnosis or invasive method for early initiation of therapy.