Spinal infection classification

Spine infections may be divided into the following major categories:

1. vertebral osteomyelitis (spondylitis):

a) pyogenic

b) nonpyogenic, granulomatous

● tuberculous spondylitis

● brucellosis

● aspergillosis

● blastomycosis

● Coccidioidomycosis

● infection with Candida tropicalis

2. discitis: usually associated with vertebral osteomyelitis (spondylodiscitis)

a) Spontaneous spinal infection.

b) post-operative/post-procedure

3. Spinal epidural abscess

4. spinal subdural empyema

5. meningitis

Medulla oblongata abscess

Intramedullary spinal cord abscess

MRI experience suggests that patients with infectious spondylitis will develop an associated epidural abscess if untreated, and that epidural empyema is unusual in the absence of vertebral osteomyelitis ¹⁾.

Thus, the discovery of one of these conditions should prompt a search for the other.