Atypical spinal tuberculosis

Abstract

Typical spinal tuberculosis is readily diagnosed and treated. Certain atypical clinical and radiologic presentations of spinal tuberculosis are described. Failure to recognize these presentations may lead to delay in diagnosis and initiation of treatment. In some atypical forms of the disease, this may have disastrous consequences. The current authors present a new classification for atypical spinal tuberculosis and describe the various presentations. The role of advanced imaging studies such as computed tomography scanning and magnetic resonance imaging and imaging-guided aspiration cytology is discussed.