Clinical picture

Spinal cord abscess and inflammatory bowel disease A 68-year-old woman with diabetes and ulcerative colitis, treated with oral prednisolone in addition to other medications, was referred to our hospital for progressive lower back pain for 2 weeks and high-grade fever for 1 week. Clinical examination revealed high-grade fever (38.08C) and incomplete paraplegia of both legs. Laboratory results revealed leukocytosis (white cell count: 19,900 cells/ml), elevated C-reactive protein levels (21.5 mg/dl), hyperglycemia and anemia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the thoracic spine revealed an extensive paraspinal mass over multiple vertebrae, suspected as an abscess (Figure 1, arrow heads); an epidural mas