Role of C-reactive protein in effective utilization of emergent MRI for spinal infections

摘要: Emergent spinal MRI is recommended for patients with back pain and red flags infection. However, many of these studies are negative due to low prevalence infections. Our purpose was assess if C-reactive protein (CRP) can be used guide effective utilization emergent 316/960 (33%) MRIs performed infection by the emergency department over 75-month period had CRP levels obtained at presentation, after excluding receiving antibiotic or surgery in  100 mg/L as highly elevated. normal 95/316 (30%) abnormal 221/316 (70%) patients. positive 43/316 (13.6%) patients, all whom CRP. (p < 0.001) intravenous drug use (IVDU; p = 0.002) were independently associated a MRI. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis showed AUC 0.76 CRP, slightly improving IVDU. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values level cut-off: 10 mg/L, 100%, 35%, 100 mg/L, 58%, 70% 91%, respectively. Abnormal although extremely sensitive, lacks specificity predicting unless (absent recent surgery) makes unlikely, its routine screening test help reducing this purpose.