What does my mother's CT scan suggest about her back pain?

Question

Hi doctor,

My mother has been having back pain in the area of ribs for the past three months. She had a CT chest, which showed lytic lesions in D9, D10, and L1. She also had a PET-CT. Her ESR, CBP, RFT and LFTs are normal.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The history of a chronic backache for three months with CAT scan showing lytic lesions and histology (attachment removed to protect patient identity) suggestive of granulomatous inflammatory changes suggest mostly tuberculosis of the spine. The patient has to take antitubercular medicines for 9 to 12 months based on how she responds.

I would like to know a few more things like whether your mother had TB in lungs in the past? Does she suffer from any neurological features like weakness in legs, tingling, numbness, etc? If yes, then she has to be given intravenous steroids to minimize the damage to spinal nerves and also surgical intervention may be required if there is evidence of nerve compression.