DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2019.v07i12.001

Pages: 3839-3843

It is well known that the differential diagnosis between tumour and tuberculosis of the spine may be difficult, as the symptoms and signs are very much alike. The aim of the study was to determine the hematological indices involved in the diagnosis of spinal tuberclosis (TB) and spinal tumours. This was a retrospective study over a 10 year period at National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu Nigeria. The case notes of the patients treated for either spinal TB or spinal tumors were retrieved and reviewed. The inclusion criteria included patients diagnosed and treated for either spinal TB or spinal tumour in the hospital within the study period. The data collected included patient’s biodata, presenting symptoms, duration of symptoms, hemogram, total white cell count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, pretreatment ESR, posttreatment ESR among other parameters. The data were analyzed using statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. A total of 40 patients were included in the study and analysed. The mean age of the patients was 42.43 ± 17.54 years. Majority (65%) of the patients are within the age bracket of 21 – 50 years. The most common presenting compliant is low back pain (85% of the patients). The ESR value at presentation before treatment is usually higher in patients with spinal tumour than spinal TB. The hemogram of patients with spinal tumours were statistically significantly lower than those with spinal TB. The presence of discitis on spine MRI is significantlty associated with spinal TB. It is concluded that patients with spinal TB have lower ESR values usually < 100mm 1st hour than patients with spinal tumours. Patients with spinal TB usually have discitis of the affected vertebra on spine MRI. Therefore, hematological indices and Spine MRI findings are useful in establishing diagnosis of either spinal TB or spinal tumours.