Imaging of infection: a correlative and algorithmic approach

Detection and localization of infection can still be a dilemma for both clinicians and imaging specialists. The list of morphologic and physiologic modalities is increasing with the advancement of research, expanding the applications of existing modalities and developing new radiopharmaceuticals for infection imaging.Since no single modality is appropriate for all situations, imaging strategy for the diagnosis of infection in both soft tissue and bone should be tailored for individual patients according to the detailed clinical data including the history of underlying and previous disease processes and the site of suspected infection for proper and cost effective utilization of the different imaging modalities.