Medical image of the week: Pott's disease

• Main Authors: Thao C, Kuykendall DG, Schreiber MP, Luraschi C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Arizona Thoracic Society 2015-07-01
• Series: Southwest Journal of Pulmonary and Critical Care
• Subjects: Pott's disease; tuberculosis; spine; spinal abcess; CT scan; MRI; histology; granuloma; arm weakness; arm pain
• Online Access: http://www.swjpcc.com/imaging/2015/7/8/medical-image-of-the-week-potts-disease.html

No abstract available. Article truncated at 150 words. A 22 year-old man with a history of asthma presented with a two-month history of progressive right upper extremity weakness with back pain, weight loss, and night sweats. CT scan of the chest revealed mass-like infiltrative mass in the right lung apex with mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy (Figure 1). An MRI cervical spine showed a large infiltrating process at the right medial lung apex with vertebral body compression (Figure 2). A CT-guided lung biopsy was performed and it showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation (Figure 3). Pott’s disease was diagnosed and the patient started on anti-tuberculous treatment with a good recovery. Pott’s disease is a common cause of spinal infection and its clinical presentations are nonspecific. Early findings on imaging may reveal loss of vertebral body height, bone sequestration, sclerosis, and paraspinal mass with calcification (1). A diagnosis of this condition must be made early as prompt treatment may reduce significant morbidity ...