Imaging in Spondylodiskitis

Infections of the spine may involve different anatomic compartments, including intervertebral disks, vertebral bone, paraspinal soft tissues, epidural space, meninges, and spinal cord. This article focuses on the role of imaging in diagnosis and follow-up of infections of the intervertebral disk and vertebral bone, named respectively diskitis and spondylitis or vertebral osteomyelitis. Often, at the time of diagnosis, the infection already involves both structures; therefore the process is referred as spondylodiskitis. The discussion is extended to infections of paraspinal soft tissues and epidural space, which are commonly associated. Mention is made to the role of imaging in guiding minimally invasive biopsies of the spine in such conditions.