Tuberculous spondylitis, or Pott's disease, is a significant public health issue, especially in resource-limited areas. It results from Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs, leading to severe complications such as back pain, kyphosis, and paraplegia. MRI is essential for early diagnosis and evaluation, using sequences like T2-weighted (T2W) and short tau inversion recovery (STIR) to identify key pathological features.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of MRI, particularly T2 and STIR sequences, in detecting spinal tuberculosis. Conducted at the Radiology Department of Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, it included 30 patients with confirmed Pott’s spine. The patient population ranged from 12 to 69 years, with a mean age of 39.2 years. The study found a higher prevalence of tuberculosis in older age groups, with males (57%) more commonly affected than females (43%). Backache (40%) and fever (33%) were the most frequent symptoms. The thoracic spine (30%) was the most commonly involved region, followed by the lumbar spine (27%).

MRI results showed that edema and abscesses were highly visible on both T2W and STIR sequences, with hyperintensity being prominent. Intervertebral disc changes appeared hyperintense on T2W and intensely hyperintense on STIR. Pre and paravertebral collections, vertebral body changes, and neural compression consistently showed high intensity on T2W, while STIR sequences demonstrated pronounced hyperintensity in pre and paravertebral collections, neural compression, and discitis.