Diagnostic flowcharts in osteomyelitis, spondylodiscitis and prosthetic joint infection

Q J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2014 Mar;58(1):2-19.

Abstract

Infections of the bone, spine and prosthetic joints are serious and complex conditions to diagnose and to treat. Structured diagnostic workup may very well improve the accuracy and speed of diagnosis, thereby improving the outcome since treatment may very well be more successful and less harmful if timely management is started. Literature shows no uniform advise on diagnosis. The EANM organized a consensus meeting with representatives from the involved disciplines in order to develop common flowcharts for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis, spondylodiscitis and prosthetic joint infections. In this report the proceedings of this consensus meeting, including the proposed flowcharts for diagnosis, are published.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Decision Support Systems, Clinical
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Discitis / diagnosis*
  • Discitis / diagnostic imaging
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
  • Humans
  • Infections / diagnosis
  • Infections / diagnostic imaging*
  • Joint Prosthesis / adverse effects*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Nuclear Medicine / methods
  • Nuclear Medicine / standards
  • Osteomyelitis / diagnosis
  • Osteomyelitis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Positron-Emission Tomography / methods
  • Radionuclide Imaging / methods
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods

Substances

  • Fluorodeoxyglucose F18