Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Infection

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Musculoskeletal Imaging

  • 158 Accesses

Abstract

In this section, we discuss the varying forms and manifestations of bone and joint infection. We discuss the different imaging modalities available: plain film radiographs, CT, MRI, ultrasound and nuclear medicine, and the strengths and weakness of each.

Common manifestations of septic arthritis, osteomyelitis, and necrotizing fasciitis are shown and discussed.

Differences in pediatric and adult infection are discussed. Atypical mycobacterium and fungal infections, which may have unique or distinct manifestations, are covered, such as Phemister’s triad, which is an imaging hallmark of an indolent and atypical infection.

We cover spinal infections with discitis and osteomyelitis, which have distinct appearances.

Other soft tissue infections and abscess formation are touched upon.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 99.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

  1. Alaia EF, Chhabra A, Simpfendorfer CS, et al. MRI nomenclature for musculoskeletal infection. Skelet Radiol. 2021;50(12):2319–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Altmayer S, Verma N, Dicks EA, Oliveira A. Imaging musculoskeletal soft tissue infections. Semin Ultrasound CT MR. 2020;41(1):85–98.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Brodie BC. An account of some cases of chronic abscess of the tibia. Trans Med Chir Soc. 1832;17:238–9.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Crim JR, Seeger LL. Imaging evaluation of osteomyelitis. Crit Rev Diagn Imaging. 1994;35(3):201–56.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Demirev A, Weijers R, Geurts J, Mottaghy F, Walenkamp G, Brans B. Comparison of [18 F]FDG PET/CT and MRI in the diagnosis of active osteomyelitis. Skelet Radiol. 2014;43(5):665–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Erdman WA, Tamburro F, Jayson HT, Weatherall PT, Ferry KB, Peshock RM. Osteomyelitis: characteristics and pitfalls of diagnosis with MR imaging. Radiology. 1991;180(2):533–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Fayad LM, Carrino JA, Fishman EK. Musculoskeletal infection: role of CT in the emergency department. Radiographics. 2007;27(6):1723–36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Fernando SM, Tran A, Cheng W, et al. Necrotizing soft tissue infection: diagnostic accuracy of physical examination, imaging, and LRINEC score: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Surg. 2019;269(1):58–65.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Gold RH, Hawkins RA, Katz RD. Bacterial osteomyelitis: findings on plain radiography, CT, MR, and scintigraphy. Am J Roentgenol. 1991;157(2):365–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Karchevsky M, Schweitzer ME, Morrison WB, Parellada JA. MRI findings of septic arthritis and associated osteomyelitis in adults. Am J Roentgenol. 2004;182(1):119–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kim KT, Kim YJ, Won Lee J, et al. Can necrotizing infectious fasciitis be differentiated from nonnecrotizing infectious fasciitis with MR imaging? Radiology. 2011;259(3):816–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. King AD, Peters AM, Stuttle AW, Lavender JP. Imaging of bone infection with labelled white blood cells: role of contemporaneous bone marrow imaging. Eur J Nucl Med. 1990;17(3-4):148–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kwee TC, Kwee RM, Alavi A. FDG-PET for diagnosing prosthetic joint infection: systematic review and metaanalysis. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2008;35(11):2122–32.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Love C, Marwin SE, Palestro CJ. Nuclear medicine and the infected joint replacement. Semin Nucl Med. 2009;39(1):66–78.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Modic MT, Feiglin DH, Piraino DW, et al. Vertebral osteomyelitis: assessment using MR. Radiology. 1985;157(1):157–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Modic MT, Pflanze W, Feiglin DH, Belhobek G. Magnetic resonance imaging of musculoskeletal infections. Radiol Clin N Am. 1986;24(2):247–58.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Morrison WB, Schweitzer ME, Bock GW, et al. Diagnosis of osteomyelitis: utility of fat-suppressed contrast-enhanced MR imaging. Radiology. 1993;189(1):251–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Phemister DB, Hatcher CM. Correlation of pathological and roentgenological findings in the diagnosis of tuberculosis arthritis. Am J Roentgenol. 1933;29:736–52.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Rahmouni A, Chosidow O. Differentiation of necrotizing infectious fasciitis from nonnecrotizing infectious fasciitis with MR imaging. Radiology. 2012;262(2):732–3. author reply 733

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Resnick D. Diagnosis of bone and joint disorders. 4th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders; 2002.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Simpfendorfer CS. Radiologic approach to musculoskeletal infections. Infect Dis Clin N Am. 2017;31(2):299–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Tang JS, Gold RH, Bassett LW, Seeger LL. Musculoskeletal infection of the extremities: evaluation with MR imaging. Radiology. 1988;166(1 Pt 1):205–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Tigges S, Stiles RG, Roberson JR. Appearance of septic hip prostheses on plain radiographs. Am J Roentgenol. 1994;163(2):377–80.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Toledano TR, Fatone EA, Weis A, Cotten A, Beltran J. MRI evaluation of bone marrow changes in the diabetic foot: a practical approach. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2011;15(3):257–68.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Turecki MB, Taljanovic MS, Stubbs AY, et al. Imaging of musculoskeletal soft tissue infections. Skelet Radiol. 2010;39(10):957–71.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, UCLA Health, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Benjamin Plotkin

  2. Radiology and Imaging Consultants An Affiliate of UCHealth, Colorado Springs, CO, USA

    Bennett L. Davis

Authors
  1. Benjamin Plotkin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bennett L. Davis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin Plotkin .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Plotkin, B., Davis, B.L. (2023). Infection. In: Musculoskeletal Imaging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49021-7_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49021-7_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-49020-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-49021-7

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation