Diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis (COM) is based mainly on the correlation between history, clinical picture, lab analysis, bacteriological, pathological, and imaging studies. Bone biopsy for culture and sensitivity is the gold standard for the correct identification of the causative organism. The present prospective study aims to evaluate the accuracy of FDG PET-CT in the diagnosis of COM in comparison to the bacteriological, pathological findings. 18 patients (16 males/two females) underwent FDG-PET/CT scanning for clinically or radiologically suspected COM of the lower extremity. Fourteen patients had septic non-union, three patients with aseptic non-union, and one with chronic diffuse sclerosing OM of Garre. Seven patients had implants at site of examination at the time of the scan. Diagnosis of COM was confirmed by deep surgical cultures and pathological analysis (index debridement done by s single surgeon in one centre) following PET/CT scanning. FDG-PET uptake was measured by SUV max (the highest uptake of the radioisotope in the infection area). These findings were correlated to the microbiological and histopathological results.Introduction
Materials and Methods
