Abstract
A 40-year-old woman who had neck pain and weakness in her extremities for 3 months was investigated. Anterior dislocation of atlantoaxial joint was detected on plain film. Epidural soft tissue mass leading spinal cord compression was found at the atlantoaxial joint on MR examination. The odontoid process was destructed as well. The soft tissue mass was isointense with spinal cord and non-homogenous hyperintense to vertebrae on T1-weighted images, and hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The mass was significantly enhancing on the post-gadolinium series. Transoral aspiration and culture of aspirated material confirmed that the soft tissue mass was a tuberculous abscess. Isolated atlantoaxial involvement of tuberculosis is exceedingly rare but carries a risk of compression of the upper spinal cord. Clinical picture and radiological findings were discussed.
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