TB of the lumbar spine: lateral x-ray of the spine

  • Digital Images
  • Online

Available online

view TB of the lumbar spine: lateral x-ray of the spine

Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

You can use this work for any purpose, including commercial uses, without restriction under copyright law. You should also provide attribution to the original work, source and licence. Read more about this licence.

Credit

TB of the lumbar spine: lateral x-ray of the spine. Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Selected images from this work

View 1 image

About this work

Description

In this lateral view, there is loss of the disc space between the L4 and L5 vertebral bodies, associated with endplate destruction. (The endplate is the upper or lower cortex of a vertebral body, ie. the part which abuts the disc.) There is also loss of the normal curve of the spine. In a tropical environment, tuberculosis of the spine is by far the commonest cause of this appearance. Staphylococcus aureus and lymphoma must also be considered in the differential diagnosis. See record number W0045336 for the anteroposterior view in this patient.

Permanent link