What are differential diagnosis for osteomyelitis?

Differential Diagnosis SAPHO syndrome (synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis) Arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis. Metastatic bone disease. Fracture, including pathological and stress fractures.

How do you diagnose osteomyelitis?

How is osteomyelitis diagnosed?

  1. Blood tests, such as: Complete blood count (CBC).
  2. Needle aspiration or bone biopsy. A small needle is inserted into the affected area to take a tissue biopsy.
  3. X-ray.
  4. Radionuclide bone scans.
  5. CT scan.
  6. MRI.
  7. Ultrasound.

Which of the following tests evaluate for the presence of osteomyelitis?

The preferred diagnostic criterion for osteomyelitis is a positive bacterial culture from bone biopsy in the setting of bone necrosis. Magnetic resonance imaging is as sensitive as and more specific than bone scintigraphy in the diagnosis of osteomyelitis.

What is the most common bone site of osteomyelitis?

Among children and teens, the long bones of the legs and arms are most frequently affected. In adults, osteomyelitis most often affects the vertebrae of the spine and/or the hips. However, extremities are frequently involved due to skin wounds, trauma and surgeries.

What is the gold standard for diagnosing osteomyelitis?

The gold standard for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis is bone biopsy with histopathologic examination and tissue culture. When the patient is clinically stable, one should consider delaying empiric antimicrobial treatment until bone biopsy is performed.

What is the best imaging for osteomyelitis?

MRI is the best imaging modality for establishing the diagnosis of osteomyelitis as it can demonstrate bone marrow oedema, confirm the presence of abscesses and delineate extraosseous disease spread. If MRI is contraindicated or unavailable, nuclear medicine studies and CT are useful alternatives.

What is spinal osteomyelitis?

Vertebral osteomyelitis is the most common form of vertebral infection. It can develop from direct open spinal trauma, infections in surrounding areas and from bacteria that spreads to a vertebra from the blood. Intervertebral disc space infections involve the space between adjacent vertebrae.