Osteomyelitis: an overview of imaging modalities

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Effective patient care relies on timely diagnosis, intervention, and treatment of infections.
• Early, appropriate interventions are crucial for reducing patient morbidity and mortality.
• Diagnostic procedures, integrating clinical and laboratory data, are vital for assessing inflammation and preventing sepsis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and compare various imaging modalities used for inflammation assessment.
• To focus on the advantages and disadvantages of molecular imaging in evaluating osteomyelitis.
• To emphasize that osteomyelitis diagnosis depends on histopathology, not disease duration.

Main Methods:

• Review of current imaging modalities for inflammation assessment.
• Discussion of computed tomography, radiography, positron emission tomography, technetium Tc 99m bone scintigraphy, magnetic resonance imaging, and leukocyte scintigraphy.
• Focus on molecular imaging techniques.

Main Results:

• Multiple imaging modalities exist for inflammation assessment, each with pros and cons.
• No single imaging procedure is universally ideal for osteomyelitis.
• A combination of imaging procedures and clinical factors is often necessary.

Conclusions:

• The assessment of osteomyelitis requires a comprehensive approach, considering histopathologic features.
• Molecular imaging offers valuable insights into inflammatory processes.
• Optimal diagnosis and management involve integrating multiple imaging modalities and clinical data.