Self Directed - Medical Tests Flashcards
Spinal structures commonly affected by infections are?
- Vertebral Body (vertebral osteomyelitis)
- Vertebral Disk (diskitis)
How are spinal infections caused?
Usually by bacteria entering the spinal structures via bloodstream
Symptoms & Signs of vertebral infection in adults
Back pain:
- Intermittent or constant
- Worse for motion
- Throbbing at rest
- Fever, Malaise, Anorexia & weight loss
Types of laboratory studies for spinal infections
- Full Blood Count (FBC)
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
- Blood Culture
- Biopsy
Full Blood Count
Measures how many of each blood cell type is present.
- Provides finer details of RBC
Two main markers of inflammation are?
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) & C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)
Back pain present, increased ESR = vertebral infection should be suspected
C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
During inflammation, liver produces increased quantities of CRP = CRP is an acute reactant
Blood Culture
Patients blood is taken and placed in nutrient medium and examined at later stage for presence of microbes such as bacteria.
- Negative in normal people
Biopsy
Suspected infection, all tests negative = small tissue is taken directly from suspect site
- Positive findings 60-70% of the time.
Imaging for spinal tumours include
- Pain radiography (X-Ray)
- Computed Tomography (CT)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Technetium Bone Scanning
First line imaging of spinal tumour should be?
X-Ray to evaluate the trabecular architecture of the spine
Suspicious findings of X-Ray with spinal tumours?
- Lytic lesions
- Cortical breaching
- Periosteal new bone formation
- Fractures
- Soft tissue masses
