CASE 868: CERVICAL VERTEBRAE TB and ANTERIOR MEDIASTINAL ABSCESS, Dr PHAN THANH HẢI , Dr NGUYỄN HOÀNG PHƯỚC, MEDIC MEDICAL CENTER, HCMC, VIETNAM

 A 43 year-old man with neck pain progressing to his shoulders for 3 months. 

Neck ultrasound detected a # 180x65x25mm hypoechoic mass with sludge which was anterior of the neck spine from C4-7 that noted an TB neck abscess.

X-Rays detected an anteroir mediastinal mass,  damages of cervical spines and neck soft tissue lesion.

MSCT and MRI confirmed a TB abscess from C6 to T4 and damages of  the body of cervical spines from C7 to T4.

TB of cervical spine is rare entity of  MSK inflammation due to infected Mycobacterium tuberculosis which is the causative organism damages the body and disc of cervical spines and forms cold abscess. If untreated it could paralyze upper limbs or go out in fistula.