Septic Arthritis: Current Concepts

Septic arthritis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with survivors often facing long-term functional impairments. Prompt diagnosis is crucial to decrease complications such as cartilage loss, osteomyelitis, and reduced mobility. Imaging plays a central role in the diagnosis, as well as offering guidance for diagnostic aspiration. Because septic arthritis may involve any joint in the body, both native and prosthetic, different imaging modalities may be more applicable in various scenarios. We describe the hallmark imaging findings of septic arthritis in radiography, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine scintigraphy, as well as the associated complications.