Am J Emerg Med 2022 May 30;58:148-153. Epub 2022 May 30.
Department of Military and Emergency Medicine, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA; United States Air Force En route Care Research Center, 59th MDW/ST, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234, USA.
Background/objective: Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the preferred imaging modality for diagnosing pyogenic spinal infection (PSI), but it is not always available. Our objective was to describe pyogenic spinal infection imaging characteristics in patients presenting to a community emergency department (ED) and estimate the computed tomography (CT) sensitivity for these infections.
Methods: We examined the MRI reports from a cohort of 88 PSI patients whom we enrolled in a prospective cohort study and report the prevalence of each PSI type (spinal epidural abscess/infection, vertebral osteomyelitis/discitis, septic facet, and paravertebral abscess/infection) according to contemporary nomenclature. Read More