Abstract: Objective To analyze the image characteristics of brucella spondylitis, further clarify the value of positive diagnosis and lesions evaluation in different image patterns. Methods Imaging data of 31 cases with brucellar spondylitis (from January 2018 to December 2020) confirmed by laboratory examination were retrospectively reviewed. 24 patients received the lumbar spine X-ray examination, 28 patients CT examination, and 27 patients MRI examination. The lesions of vertebral body, Intervertebral disc, and surrounding tissue of vertebral body, were respectively analyzed by different image patterns. Results 31 patients with brucellar spondylitis were included, 21 males and 10 females, aged 24~77 years with an average age of 48.3 years. In terms of the site, 1 case in the cervical vertebra, followed 2 cases in the thoracic vertebra, and 28 cases in the lumbosacral vertebrae, respectively. In X-ray, 16 cases of lesions of vertebral body (66.7%), and 18 cases of intervertebral space stenosis (75.0%). In CT, 24 cases of lesions of vertebral body (85.7%), 22 cases of lesions of intervertebral disc (78.6%), and 19 cases of lesions of surrounding tissue of vertebral body (67.9%). In MRI, 27 cases of lesions of vertebral body (100%), 24 cases of lesions of intervertebral disc (88.9%), 16 cases of lesions of surrounding tissue of vertebral body (67.9%), and 9 cases of lesions of vertebral canal (33.3%). Conclusion MRI were superior to CT and CT was superior to X-ray in sequence for the positive manifestations of brucella spondylitis. Some specific signs were as follows: osteophytes were perpendicular to the vertebra in CT, and T₂WI high signal pattern was consistent with T₁WI enhanced pattern of MRI, which was of important significance for the diagnosis of brucella spondylitis.

Key words: Brucellosis, Spondylitis, Magnetic resonance imaging, Radiographic