Differential study of DCE-MRI parameters in spinal metastatic tumors, brucellar spondylitis and spinal tuberculosis

Objective： In the present study, spinal metastatic tumors, brucellar spondylitis and spinal tuberculosis werequantitatively analyzed using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging （DCE-MRI） to assess thevalue of DCE-MRI in the differential diagnosis of these diseases.Methods： Patients with brucellar spondylitis, spinal tuberculosis or a spinal metastatic tumor （30 cases of each）received conventional MRI and DCE-MRI examination. The volume transfer constant （Ktrans）, rate constant （Kep）,extravascular extracellular volume fraction （Ve） and plasma volume fraction （Vp） of the diseased vertebral bodieswere measured on the perfusion parameter map, and the differences in these parameters between the patients werecompared.Results： For pathological vertebrae in cases of spinal metastatic tumor, brucellar spondylitis and spinaltuberculosis, respectively, the Ktrans values （median ＋ quartile pitch） were 0.989±0.014, 0.720±0.011 and0.317±0.005 min-1; the Kep values were 2.898±0.055, 1.327±0.017 and 0.748±0.006 min-1; the Ve values were0.339±0.008, 0.542±0.013 and 0.428±0.018; the Vp values were 0.048±0.008, 0.035±0.004 and 0.028±0.009; thecorresponding H values were 50.25 （for Ktrans）, 52.47 （for Kep）, 48.33 （for Ve） and 46.56 （for Vp）, and all differenceswere statistically significant （two-sided P〈0.05）.Conclusions： The quantitative analysis of DCE-MRI has a certain value in the differential diagnosis of spinalmetastatic tumor, brucellar spondylitis and spinal tuberculosis.

One-stage Surgical Treatment for Thoracic and Lumbar Spinal Tuberculosis by Transpedicular Fixation, Debridement, and Combined Interbody and Posterior Fusion via a Posterior-only Approach

This study examined the clinical outcomes of one-stage surgical treatment for patients with spinal tuberculosis via a posterior-only approach. Twenty-four patients with thoracic or lumbar spinal tuberculosis whose lesions were confined to adjacent segments were admitted to our hospital and treated. The American Spinal Injury Association（ASIA） impairment scale was used to assess the neurological function. All patients were treated with one-stage surgical treatment via a posterior-only approach. The clinical efficacy was evaluated by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association（JOA） scores and oswestry disability index（ODI） of nerve function. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively by measurement of spinal deformity using Cobb angle and radiological examination. All the patients were followed up for 13 to 27 months. They had significantly postoperative improvement in JOA score, ODI and ASIA classification scores. The kyphotic angles were significantly corrected and maintained at the final follow-up. Bone fusion was achieved within 4–12 months. It was concluded that one-stage surgical treatment via a posterior-only approach is effective and feasible for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis.

Susceptibility of spinal tuberculosis and its related gene polymorphisms

Spinal tuberculosis,as one of the most serious forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis,is one of the primary causes of spinal deformity and paralysis in developing countries.It immensely affects people's quality of life with high incidences of deformity and disability.The onset of spinal tuberculosis is related to many factors such as gender,age,environment,habits and hereditary factor.As a genetic factor,gene polymorphism plays an important role in the occurrence and development of tuberculosis.This article reviews the research progress of the susceptibility of spinal tuberculosis and its related gene polymorphisms,in order to provide reference for early prevention and treatment of spinal tuberculosis.

The Effect of Intensive Psychological Nursing on the Mood and Solutions of Spinal Tuberculosis Patients

Objective:To investigate the effect of intensive psycho1ogical nursing on the mood and coping ways of spinal tuberculosis patients.Methods:The clinical data of 102 patients undergoing spinal tuberculosis surgery in our hospital from February 2017 to January 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.A11 the cases were grouped according to different nursing plans,patients who received routine care were included in the control group(n=50),and the ones with intensive psychological care were included in the observation group(n=52).Compare negative emotions after nursing[assessment using self-assessment scale of anxiety(SAS),depression self-assessment scale(SDS)]and solutions[assessment using medical response questionnaire(MCMQ)]of the two groups.Results:After nursing,the SAs,SDs scores,avoidance and yield scores of the two groups were reduced,and the coping scores were increased,and the change of the observation group was greater than that of the control group,the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:Spinal tuberculosis surgery patients were treated with intensive psychological care,which can relieve patients'negative emotions,improve solutions and are worthy of clinical use.

Surgical treatment of spinal tuberculosis in older patients

Objective To discuss perioperative features,operative approach and surgical effects of spinal tuberculosis in older patients.Methods Retrospective analysis was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 45 patients with spinal

Diagnosis and treatment of spinal tuberculosis after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND: Spinal tuberculosis is a common disease in orthopedic clinical practice; however, it is seldom reported after organ transplantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnosis and treatment of spinal tuberculosis after organ transplantation. METHOD: Two cases were diagnosed as spinal tuberculosis after liver transplantation and were treated with socarboxazide, rifampicin, streptomycin and ethambutol for more than one year. RESULTS: After treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs for several months, the symptoms of both patients clearly improved. Back pain disappeared, and erythrocyte sedimentation and body temperature returned to normal. CONCLUSIONS: We should highly suspect spinal tuberculosis if notalgia and night sweats are present after organ transplantation. Anti-tuberculosis therapy is an effective treatment for spinal tuberculosis after organ transplantation.

psk1 virulence gene-induced pulmonary and systemic tuberculosis in a young woman with normal immune function:A case report

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease and an important public health pro-blem.Despite progress in controlling tuberculosis,the incidence of tuberculosis in China is still very high,with 895000 new cases annually.This case report des-cribes the investigation of a case of severe disseminated tuberculosis in a young adult with normal immune function,conducted to ascertain why a Mycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tuberculosis)strain caused such severe disease.CASE SUMMARY A previously healthy 28-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a 1-mo-nth history of fever and fatigue.She was diagnosed with severe disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis,spinal tuberculosis with paravertebral abscesses,and tuberculous meningitis.M.tuberculosis was isolated from bronchoal-veolar lavage fluid.She was treated with standard antituberculous therapy and underwent debridement,bone graft,and internal fixation surgery for spinal tuberculosis.She responded to therapy and regained her ability to walk following the surgery.We analysed the whole-genome sequence of the strain and designated it BLM-A21.Additional M.tuberculosis genomes were selected from the Virulence Factor Database(http://www.mgc.ac.cn/cgi-bin/VFs/genus.cgi?Genus=Mycobacterium)for comparison.An evolutionary tree of the BLM-A21 strain was built using PhyML maximum likelihood software.Further gene analysis revealed that,except for the pks1 gene,BLM-A21 had similar virulence genes to the CDC 1551 and H37Rv strains,which have lower dissemination.CONCLUSION We speculate that the pks1 virulence gene in BLM-A21 may be the key virulence gene responsible for the wide-spread dissemination of M.tuberculosis infection in this previously healthy adult with normal immune function.

Tuberculosis of the spine

Pott’s spine,commonly known as spinal tuberculosis(TB),is an extrapulmonary form of TB caused by Mycobacterium TB.Pott’s paraplegia occurs when the spine is involved.Spinal TB is usually caused by the hematogenous spread of infection from a central focus,which can be in the lungs or another location.Spinal TB is distinguished by intervertebral disc involvement caused by the same segmental arterial supply,which can result in severe morbidity even after years of approved therapy.Neurological impairments and spine deformities are caused by progressive damage to the anterior vertebral body.The clinical,radiographic,microbiological,and histological data are used to make the diagnosis of spinal TB.In Pott’s spine,combination multidrug antitubercular therapy is the basis of treatment.The recent appearance of multidrug-resistant/extremely drug-resistant TB and the growth of human immunodeficiency virus infection have presented significant challenges in the battle against TB infection.Patients who come with significant kyphosis or neurological impairments are the only ones who require surgical care.Debride-ment,fusion stabilization,and correction of spinal deformity are the cornerstones of surgical treatment.Clinical results for the treatment of spinal TB are generally quite good with adequate and prompt care.

ON HIGH-POROUS CERAMIC FOR PHARMACEUTICAL CARRIER

A kind of hydroxyapatite (HA) high-porous ceramic (HPC) which is used as pharmaceutical carrier for spinal tuberculosis treating is investigated, the structure of HPC is analyzed and physicochemical properties are determined. Experiments and clinical application show that when HPC carrying antituberculosis drug was imbedded in the tuberculosis focus, the drug in effective concentration can continuously be released for 27 weeks, also, the drug concentration achieves high local level but low systematic level, thus the curative effect can distinctly enhanced.

Primary Hodgkin disease of the spine could mimic eosinophilic granuloma initially

Primary Hodgkin disease （HD） of bone is rare. The recognition on it is relatively confined. Bothcases arising-in male adults were suspected to be Potts disease （spinal tuberculosis） on imaging, and pathologic misdiagnosed initially. The clinical situations rapidly aggravated. The pathomorphology was remarkable malignant changed. They shared similar process in clinical, radiological and diagnostic process and could be representative. We retrospectively analyzed correlative results of them and review points of distinction from other disease entities that might be confused with it.