Related Experiment Videos
Bone scintigraphy in mycobacterium avium osteomyelitis: a case report
Robbert R B Verkooijen1, Marcel P M Stokkel
1Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Leiden, The Netherlands. r.b.t.verkooijen@lumc.edu
Clinical Nuclear Medicine
|June 5, 2002
Summary
Mycobacterium avium complex infection can cause widespread skeletal damage, even in immunocompromised patients. Three-phase bone scanning revealed extensive lesions in the spine, sternum, and pelvis.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infections are opportunistic pathogens.
- Skeletal involvement by MAC is rare, particularly in non-HIV immunocompromised individuals.
- Destructive infections typically manifest in localized areas.
Observation:
- A 30-year-old immunocompromised female presented with a destructive MAC infection in the left inguinal fossa, involving the pubic bone.
- Three-phase bone scintigraphy was employed to assess the extent of skeletal involvement.
- The imaging revealed multiple disseminated skeletal lesions.
Findings:
- Extensive skeletal lesions were identified throughout the vertebral column.
- The sternum and pelvis also exhibited disseminated lesions.
- This indicates a rare, widespread metastatic pattern of MAC infection.
Implications:
- Highlights the potential for disseminated MAC infections to affect multiple skeletal sites.
- Emphasizes the utility of advanced imaging like bone scanning in diagnosing rare infectious metastatic disease.
- Suggests a need for vigilance in immunocompromised patients presenting with localized destructive infections.