Spine Infection

Infection of the osseous spine, the spinal cord, and its meningeal coverings is a common indication for imaging in emergency and inpatient settings. The first half of this chapter focuses on spine infections by organism, starting with pyogenic discitis and osteomyelitis and then covering atypical and opportunistic agents such as tuberculosis and fungal and viral infections. The second half breaks down infectious disease by location: intramedullary, intradural extramedullary, and extradural with specific case examples. This format should provide residents with a high-yield reference when encountering infectious spine imaging during their training.