Imaging update on musculoskeletal infections

Abstract

The clinical diagnosis of musculoskeletal infections can be challenging due to non-specific signs and symptoms on presentation. These infections include infectious myositis, necrotising fasciitis, septic arthritis, septic bursitis, suppurative tenosynovitis, osteomyelitis, spondylodiscitis and periprosthetic infections. Diagnostic imaging is routinely employed as part of the investigative pathway to characterise the underlying infectious disease pattern, allowing expedited and customised patient management plans to optimise outcomes. This article provides an update on the various imaging modalities comprising of radiography, computed tomography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging and radionuclide procedures, and incorporates representative images of key findings in the different forms of musculoskeletal infections.

Letter to the Editor: Imaging update on musculoskeletal infections

“…We read with great interest the review article written by Chin and Peh, 1 entitled "Imaging update on musculoskeletal infections", in which the authors reviewed the imaging features of musculoskeletal infection, including osteomyelitis, on radiograph, ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although the authors have made an extensive list of characteristic MRI findings, we would like to add a discussion about an important imaging sign, that despite not being pathognomonic for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis, it is quite specific, and has a fundamental importance in the differential diagnosis between osteomyelitis and primary bone tumors.…”

Solitary distal tibia tuberculosis in a child, effectively treated by chemotherapy following surgery: A case report

“…Excluding infection when dealing with any bony lesion is crucial, as the disease might manifest in various deceitful presentations. It may be lytic or sclerotic, diffuse or localized, aggressive or latent, cystic or polycystic [ 2 ] it could be easily misdiagnosed and mistreated.…”

Considering Hounsfield Units in native CT- scans for diagnosing spondylodiscitis

“…CT is currently used mostly for percutaneous needle biopsy and drainage of abscesses as well as to analyze the bony destruction. [1,6,11,12]. Nevertheless, measuring local bone quality using CT scans with Houns eld units (HU) quanti cation is possible and has been shown to be a reliable method to assess bone density changes for osteoporosis, spondylarthritis and osteochondrosis across all vertebrae [13][14][15][16].…”