Imaging Findings in Pediatric Musculoskeletal Infection and Inflammation

Infections and inflammatory conditions of immature musculoskeletal systems in pediatric patients also affect the adjacent muscles, connective tissues, and joints. Rapid diagnosis leading to appropriate treatment can significantly impact the occurrence of complications and mortality rates due to these conditions. When a radiologist becomes familiar with the imaging findings of pediatric musculoskeletal infections and inflammatory diseases, rapid differential diagnoses and more timely and appropirate treatment could be possible. In this paper, we introduce the imaging findings of infectious and inflammatory diseases affecting the immature musculoskeletal system, such as osteomyelitis, pyogenic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and hemophilic arthritis, based on the anatomical and pathophysiological characteristics of the immature musculoskeletal system in children.