IMPORTANCE OF DRESSING REMOVAL BEFORE RADIOLABELED WBC IMAGING FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL INFECTION

Leukocyte imaging performed with In-ill or Tc-99m is gaining widesprea d acceptance as a method for detection of osteomyelitis associated wit h soft tissue injury or infection, The authors present three cases in which initial imaging was suggestive of a focal infectious process in bone and soft tissue, However, repeat imaging after the removal of wou nd dressings, which revealed serosanguineous discharge in all cases, r esulted in a scan appearance that was much less remarkable for focal r adiotracer accumulation in the bone, The authors conclude that accumul ation of labeled WBCs in wound discharge can result in scans that are false-positive for osteomyelitis. Therefore, the authors recommend tha t wounds should be cleaned and dressings changed before imaging in ord er to avoid scans that are false-positive for osteomyelitis.