Abstract:

Objective to study the CT features of nontuberculous mycobacterial bone infection and to im⁃ prove the CT diagnosis of nontuberculous mycobacterial bone infection. Methods The clinical data and CT images of 22 patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial bone infection in Guangzhou chest hospital from January 2015 to January 2021 were collected retrospectively，and analyzed the CT characteristics. Results In this group of 22 patients，the bone destruction involved a wide range of sites，including multiple sites、multiple joints and jumping bone destruction，accounting for 59.09%（13/22）. 93.75%（15/16）of the 16 cases had osteolytic and mixed bone destruction，One case was Osteogenesis damage.In 15 cases of osteolytic destruction，66.67%（10/15）of bone mar⁃ gin combined with thick and mixed sclerosis ring，26.67%（4/15）of thin sclerosis ring，and 6.66%（1/15）of no sclerosis ring.Three or more vertebral bodies accounted for 75%（12/16）in axial bones. The cases of vertebral space narrowing and vertebral collapse accounted for 6.25%（1/16），the cases of dead bone and abscess accounted for 18.75%（3/16）；Vertebral appendage was involved in 31.25%（5/16）. Among the 12 cases with bone in extremities， 91.67%（11/12）had osteolytic and mixed bone destruction，one case was Osteogenesis damage. In 11 cases of osteolytic destruction，72.73%（8/11）had bone edge combined with thick and mixed sclerosis ring，and 27.27% （3/11）had thin sclerosis ring；33.33%（4/12）with abscess，16.67%（2/12）with dead bone. 5 cases of long bone and 7 cases of joint bone destruction were lytic bone destruction，2 cases and 6 cases with thin sclerotic ring， 3 cases and 7 cases with abscess respectively，3 cases involved joint space in the latter. There were significant differences in bone destruction pattern，marginal sclerosis ring，abscess and intervertebral/articular space involve⁃ment in different sites of non⁃tuberculous mycobacterium bone infection（P < 0.05）. Conclusion The bone infection of non⁃tuberculous mycobacterium disease involved a wide range of sites，with jumping bone destruction. Osteolytic and mixed bone destruction were more common in the axial bone and extremities，and the margins were more com⁃ plicated with thick and mixed sclerosis rings，intervertebral discs were less involved，and abscesses and dead bone were rare. Small cystic osteolytic bone destruction was common in joints，often complicated with thin sclerosis ring, abscess，involving joint space. It has certain CT features，providing basis for early clinical diagnosis.

Key words:

nontuberculous mycobacteria, bone, tomography, X?ray computer.