OSTEOMYELITIS AND SEPTIC ARTHRITIS IN CHILDREN - APPROPRIATE USE OF IMAGING TO GUIDE TREATMENT

Modern imaging techniques have become essential components of the mana gement of acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in children, This a rticle addresses the role of these techniques, based on clinical pract ice guidelines recently developed at a children's hospital by an inter disciplinary group, The recommendations reflect a review of the litera ture and an analysis of our own experience with 84 children treated fo r musculoskeletal sepsis during the past 3 years, We attempt to optimi ze imaging resources by analyzing the unique aspects of these infectio ns in the pediatric skeleton, the clinical needs at different stages o f the disease, and the relative strengths and weaknesses of the variou s imaging procedures. Our goal was to define the use of imaging in cas es of osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in children in specific clini cal scenarios in which additional information is likely to lead to man agement modification.