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Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Epidural abscess CT

Introduction

Overview

Overview

Computed tomography may be helpful as a secondary method of imaging in the diagnosis of epidural abscess. If MRI is not available, CT scan may serve as the primary imaging technique.

Computed tomography

Computed tomography

Computed tomography may be helpful as a secondary method of imaging in the diagnosis of epidural abscess. If MRI is not available, CT scan may serve as the primary imaging technique.

Intracranial Epidural Abscess

Findings on CT scan suggestive of intracranial epidural abscess include the appearance of a crescent-shaped, hypodense, extraaxial lesion or a lens.[1]

Spinal Epidural Abscess

On CT scan, the appearance of a spinal epidural abscess is difficult to discern. Findings on CT scan suggestive of spinal epidural abscess include narrowing of the disk and bone lysis to indicate the presence of discitis and osteomyelitis.[2][3] While helpful to produce high-resolution axial tomograms of the spine, being able to detect a possible encroachment of the spinal canal or air in the pus collection is difficult due to CT scan’s insufficient capacity to differentiate densities of soft tissues.[4] It may be used to guide percutaneous drainage, alternatively to surgical drainage.[5] More information regarding the appearance of spinal epidural abscess can be found here.

Spinal epidural abscess located anterolaterally at the level of C2-C3[6]
References

References

  1. ↑ Longo, Dan L. (Dan Louis) (2012). Harrison’s principles of internal medici. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-174889-6.
  2. ↑ Darouiche RO (2006). “Spinal epidural abscess”. The New England Journal of Medicine. 355 (19): 2012–20. doi:10.1056/NEJMra055111. PMID 17093252.
  3. ↑ Spinal Epidural Abscess. Radiopaedia.org (2015). http://radiopaedia.org/articles/spinal-epidural-abscess Accessed on November 20, 2015
  4. ↑ Grewal, S. (2006). “Epidural abscesses”. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 96 (3): 292–302. doi:10.1093/bja/ael006. ISSN 0007-0912.
  5. ↑ Lyu RK, Chen CJ, Tang LM, Chen ST (2002). “Spinal epidural abscess successfully treated with percutaneous, computed tomography-guided, needle aspiration and parenteral antibiotic therapy: case report and review of the literature”. Neurosurgery. 51 (2): 509–12, discussion 512. PMID 12182793.
  6. ↑ Image courtesy of Royal Melborne Hospital Key Conditions. Radiopaedia (original file “here”). Creative Commons BY-SA-NC

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: João André Alves Silva, M.D. [2]; Anthony Gallo, B.S. [3]