MR features of tuberculous osteomyelitis.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the MR imaging features of tuberculous osteomyelitis.

METHODS

MR imaging features of 11 patients (14-65 years) with proven extra-spinal tuberculous osteomyelitis were reviewed. Osseous and adjacent soft-tissue changes were analyzed.

RESULTS

On the basis of the signal intensity characteristics compared with the normal marrow fat, two kinds of lesions were observed: (a) predominantly intermediate to low signal intensity lesions on T2-weighted images with low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, and (b) lesions which had a discrete peripheral zone of marginally higher signal intensity than the center on T1-weighted images and surrounding edema and lower signal intensity than the fatty bone marrow with variable signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Soft-tissue abscesses and marrow edema were each noted in eight cases. Soft-tissue edema was noted in most cases.

CONCLUSIONS

An osseous lesion with intermediate to low signal intensity on T2-weighted images and associated soft-tissue abscess may be suggestive of tuberculous osteomyelitis. Lesions with a rim of mildly increased signal intensity on T1-weighted images, a non-specific indicator of an infective process, may also be seen.