Vertebral Arch Tuberculosis in Two Human Immunodeficiency Virus—Seropositive Heroin Addicts

Two cases of disseminated tuberculosis with vertebral arch involvement in drug addicts seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus are studied, one of which developed a paraplegia while he was recovering from a meningeal tuberculosis.

Abstract

We studied two cases of disseminated tuberculosis with vertebral arch involvement in drug addicts seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus. The first patient developed a paraplegia while he was recovering from a meningeal tuberculosis. On the abdominal plain roentgenogram, the right transverse process of L-2 was absent, and a computed tomographic scan revealed destruction of the right vertebral arch together with a collection in the paravertebral area. The second patient had miliary tuberculosis and complained of lumbar pain. The radiologic findings were similar to those in the first case, but at the L-4 level.