Comparative study of a rabbit model of spinal tuberculosis using different concentrations of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Figure 1 Abnormal lung with white caseous lesions, serious lung tissue damage and abnormal anatomy. The contralateral lung in ruddy color had normal anatomical structures with no obvious pathological changes.

Figure 2 Twelve-week post-operative imaging results. A and B: X-ray analysis revealed that the intervertebral spaces appeared blurred and narrowed, the adjacent endplates appeared to have increased bone density shadows (orange arrows); C-E: Computed tomography (CT) scans showed that dotted sequestra and increased bone mineral densities shadows could be observed in the vertebral bodies; the local vertebral bone cortices were nonunion (orange arrows). There was no obvious soft tissue swelling around the vertebral bodies; F: 3-dimensional CT scans showed that the intervertebral spaces had become narrowed with surrounding osteophyte formation (orange arrows).

Figure 3 Twelve-week post-operative histopathological results using hematoxylin and eosin stain. A: Pathological changes typical of tuberculosis with vast areas of caseous necrosis [diamond; hematoxylin and eosin (HE) × 200]; B: Infiltration of inflammatory cells (triangle) and caseous necrosis (diamond; HE × 200); C: Disordered trabecular bone structure and numerous sequestra (orange arrow; HE × 100); D: Typical tuberculous nodules with caseous necrotic material in the center: Epithelioid cells (orange arrow), multinucleated giant cells (black arrow) and inflammatory cell infiltration (triangle; HE × 400); E: Typical multinucleated giant cells (black arrow) and epithelioid cells (orange arrow) were observed (HE × 400); F: No abnormalities were observed in the control group (HE × 200).

Figure 4  Pale yellow granular colonies were evenly and firmly attached to the Lowenstein-Jensen medium.