Imaging of Postoperative Infection at the Knee Joint

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiology
• Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Postoperative knee infections are rare but serious complications following arthroplasties, fracture fixation, and arthroscopic procedures.
• Accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the diagnostic algorithm for postoperative knee joint infections.
• To review the utility and imaging appearances of various diagnostic modalities in detecting these infections.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of the current diagnostic algorithm for postoperative knee infections.
• Review of radiography, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), and nuclear studies.
• Analysis of imaging findings for different types of knee joint infections.

Main Results:

• Imaging is a vital adjunct to clinical and laboratory findings in diagnosing knee infections.
• Radiographs are the initial imaging step, followed by cross-sectional imaging (MR, CT, US) and nuclear studies when diagnosis is uncertain.
• Each imaging modality presents distinct appearances for postoperative knee infections.

Conclusions:

• A systematic approach utilizing various imaging techniques is essential for diagnosing postoperative knee infections.
• Understanding the specific imaging characteristics of these infections across different modalities improves diagnostic accuracy.
• Imaging guidance is also utilized for joint aspiration and tissue sampling, key diagnostic procedures.