"Spinal hydatid disease is an uncommon manifestation of hydatid disease, caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, or less commonly E. alveolaris or E. multilocularis, and encompasses a spectrum of disease involving the spinal cord, the spine, or both."
"Hydatid disease is acquired via contaminated food with eggs of the Echinococcus spp. -tapeworm 1,2. The oncospheres released from the eggs in the bowel enter the portal circulation, thus usually affecting the liver, but also affecting other sites via haematogenous spread 1,2."
"MRI is a more sensitive tool for diagnosing spinal hydatid disease 1,2. Generally, spinal hydatid cysts tend to have a tube-like shape, rather than the classic spherical cysts seen elsewhere in the body, and do not have associated perilesional oedema 1,2. They also demonstrate similar signal characteristics to cerebrospinal fluid in all pulse sequences 1,2:"
"Hydatid disease is endemic in numerous regions of the world, including the Mediterranean region, the Middle East, Africa, eastern Turkey, Australia, and parts of South America 1,2. Spinal hydatid disease is uncommon and most commonly affects the thoracic spine, although any part of the spine can be affected 1,2."
"Bony disease has features very similar to vertebral osteomyelitis; however, it tends not to demonstrate any osteoporosis or sclerosis, and lacks damage to the vertebral discs 1,2,5. The cysts themselves have a similar density to cerebrospinal fluid and very rarely demonstrate calcification 6. CT may also reveal the underlying aetiology if spinal hydatid disease is secondary to direct invasion from extraspinal structures 1,2."