Table 1 Clinical characteristics and assessment for therapeutic response of the patients
Patient 1 | Patient 2 | Patient 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Clinical characteristics | |||
Age/Sex | 43/Women | 64/Women | 48/Women |
Initial ESR (mm/h)/CRP (mg/dL) | 30/0.7 | 51/0.536 | 115/4.16 |
Lesion | Spondylitis on L2–3 Para- and intra-vertebral abscesses | Spondylitis on C1–2 Totally eroded odontoid process Para-vertebral abscesses | Spondylitis on T8–9 Para-vertebral abscesses |
Drug-resistance | (−) | INH (+) on pus from fistula at biopsy site | (−) |
HIV serology | (−) | (−) | (−) |
SUVmax of PET/MRI 1 | 9.75 (at four-month of anti-TB medication) | 7.88 (at diagnosis) | 6.67 (at diagnosis) |
Assessment for therapeutic response | Controlled Discontinuation of anti-TB medication | Uncontrolled Continuation of anti-TB medication | Uncontrolled Continuation of anti-TB medication |
Timing | 12-month after anti-TB medication (two-month with INH, RFP, PZA, and EMB/ ten-month with INH, RFP, and EMB) | 11.5-month after anti-TB medication (two-month with INH, RFP, PZA, and EMB/ nine-month with RFP and EMB) | 12-month after anti-TB medication (two-month with INH, RFP, PZA, and EMB/ ten-month with INH, RFP, and EMB) |
Clinical state | Improved | Improved | Back pain Recurrent development of fistula at biopsy site |
Evidence | Clinical improvement | AFB and PCR (+) on surgical biopsy | AFB and PCR (+) on pus from fistula |
SUVmax of PET/MRI 2 | 1.83 | 4.14 | 7.02 |