Chronic osteomyelitis of the femur: value of PET imaging

The purpose of this report is to discuss FDG-PET as a potentially new imaging tool in the diagnosis of infections of osteosynthetic material. We present a patient with a poly-trauma who developed a chronic osteomyelitis and ostitis after repeated osteosynthesis in a fibular transplant to the left femur. Work up included MRI, antigranulocyte antibody scintigraphy and positron emission tomography (PET) with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Infection of the fibular transplant was demonstrated clearly by PET but not by the other methods. Positron emission tomography may become an important indication in the diagnosis and follow-up of bone infection.