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Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in trauma patients with suspected chronic osteomyelitis

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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To retrospectively evaluate the diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in trauma patients with suspected chronic osteomyelitis.

Methods

Thirty-three partial body 18F-FDG PET/CT scans were performed in 33 patients with trauma suspected of having chronic osteomyelitis. In 10 and 23 patients, infection was suspected in the axial and appendicular skeleton, respectively. In 18 patients, PET/CT was performed in the presence of metallic implants. Histopathology or bacteriological culture was used as the standard of reference. For statistical analysis, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were calculated in relation to findings of the reference standard.

Results

Of 33 PET/CT scans, 17 were true positive, 13 true negative, two false positive and one false negative. Eighteen patients had chronic osteomyelitis and 15 had no osseous infection according to the reference standard. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for 18F-FDG PET/CT was 94%, 87% and 91% for the whole group, 88%, 100% and 90% for the axial skeleton and 100%, 85% and 91% for the appendicular skeleton, respectively.

Conclusion

18F-FDG PET/CT is a highly sensitive and specific method for the evaluation of chronic infection in the axial and appendicular skeleton in patients with trauma. PET/CT allows precise anatomical localisation and characterisation of the infectious focus and demonstrates the extent of chronic osteomyelitis with a high degree of accuracy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Anna Hartmann, Gustav K. von Schulthess & Katrin D. M. Stumpe

  2. Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma Surgery, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland

    Karim Eid & Otmar Trentz

  3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Orthopedic University Hospital Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland

    Claudio Dora

Authors
  1. Anna Hartmann
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  2. Karim Eid
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  3. Claudio Dora
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  4. Otmar Trentz
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  5. Gustav K. von Schulthess
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  6. Katrin D. M. Stumpe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Katrin D. M. Stumpe.

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Hartmann, A., Eid, K., Dora, C. et al. Diagnostic value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in trauma patients with suspected chronic osteomyelitis. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 34, 704–714 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-006-0290-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-006-0290-4

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