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Spinal Infections: Evidence-Based Neuroimaging

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Evidence-Based Neuroimaging Diagnosis and Treatment

Part of the book series: Evidence-Based Imaging ((Evidence-Based Imag.))

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Abstract

The three most common sources of vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis are (1) hematogenous spread, (2) direct inoculation due to interventions such as spinal fixation, or (3) spread from an adjacent site of infection such as a paraspinal abscesses [1–4]. Among patients with no risk factors for vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis, Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen and is isolated from as much as 50 % of patients. Other organisms are more common among patients with risk factors such as spinal surgeries with internal fixation devices (Escherichia coli, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and Propionibacterium acnes) [1, 3–5], genitourinary tract instrumentations (E. coli) [1, 4, 6], IV drug abuse (Pseudomonas and Candida) [2, 5–10], and central line placements (Candida) [7, 11]. Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Salmonella should also be taken into consideration particularly if the patient is an immigrant from a developing country or has a recent history of travel to an area where these infections are endemic [12]. In general, lumbar spine is the most common site for vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis, followed by the thoracic and cervical spine [5, 13, 14].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Bahman Roudsari

  2. Department of Radiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA

    Jeffrey G. Jarvik

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  1. Bahman Roudsari
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  2. Jeffrey G. Jarvik
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Correspondence to Bahman Roudsari .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neuroradiology-Neuroimaging, Department of Radiology, Miami Children’s Hospital, Miami, FL, USA

    L. Santiago Medina

  2. Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA

    L. Santiago Medina

  3. Former Lecturer in Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    L. Santiago Medina

  4. Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA

    Pina C. Sanelli

  5. Department of Radiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

    Jeffrey G. Jarvik

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Roudsari, B., Jarvik, J.G. (2013). Spinal Infections: Evidence-Based Neuroimaging. In: Medina, L.S., Sanelli, P.C., Jarvik, J.G. (eds) Evidence-Based Neuroimaging Diagnosis and Treatment. Evidence-Based Imaging. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3320-0_33

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