SEPTIC SACROILIITIS IN AN ADOLESCENT

Background. - Septic sacroiliitis is often difficult to diagnose becau se the clinical findings can be misleading and the radiological signs delayed. Case report. - A 16-year-old adolescent was hospitalized with a history of fever and painful hip. The initial hypothesis of hip ost eoarthritis was not confirmed by ultrasonography or CT-scan. The bone scan was also normal. The definitive diagnosis of sacroiliitis was mad e 1 week later based on the clinical evolution and a positive blood cu lture. It was confirmed by a second bone scan and MR imaging. Conclusi on. - Examination of the sacroiliac joint needs several different test s. Although the initial bone scan may be normal, an osteoarticular inf ection cannot be definitively ruled out and iterative radiological inv estigation is warranted. MR imagining may be an additional diagnostic tool for detecting sacroiliitis.