Objective To explore the application values of different imaging methods in the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis. Methods The clinical data of 75 cases of patients with spinal tuberculosis treated in our hospital from June 2014 to June 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were given magnetic resonance imaging (MRL) and computerized tomography (CT). The image quality and detection rate of tuberculosis positive signs (bone destruction, paravertebral abscess, spinal canal stenosis, calcification, osteonecrosis) were compared between the 2 imaging methods. Results ①There was no difference in the image quality of MRI or of CT (P>0.05). ② There was no significant difference in the detection rate of bone destruction between MRI and CT (P>0.05), and the detection rates of paravertebral abscess and calcification were higher in the MRI compared with those in the CT (P<0.05) while the detection rate of osteonecrosis was lower (P<0.05). ③CT showed that most patients were with varying degrees of vertebral bone destruction, which could be characterized by cave-like, worm-eaten, fragmented changes. Calcification was with gravel, speckled or ring shape. In MRI, most of the T1 showed low signal, and a few presented equal and low hybrid signals, and T2 mostly showed uniform high signal or mixed signal. Conclusion Both CT and MRI are effective imaging methods for the diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis, but MRI is more advantageous in the detection of paraspinal abscesses and spinal stenosis, and CT is more advantageous in the detection of dead bone.