Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical value of MRI in differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis. MethodWe analyzed retrospectively 45 patients with spinal tuberculosis and 34 patients with spinal tumor whose diagnosis were confirmed by surgical operation and histopathology. ResultsOf 45 cases of spinal tuberculosis,MRI showed destroyed vertebral body and intervertebral discs, narrow intervertebral spaces and paravertebral soft tissue swelling.The lesions showed low signal intensity in T1W, and a little bitter high signal intensity in T2W, and high signal in short-tau inversion recovery(STIR). In 34 cases of vertebral tumor, MRI showed that the vertebral spaces were normal,both vertebral bodies and pedicles were involved in 15 cases,only pedicles were involved in 2 cases. ConclusionMRI is a useful tool in differential diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis, especially STIR images are very clear.

Key words: tuberculosis,spinal/diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging, diagnosis,differential