Hematogenous Osteomyelitis in Infants and Children: Imaging of a Changing Disease

In children, hematogenous osteomyelitis is an infection that primarily affects the most vascularized regions of the growing skeleton. The disease has increased in frequency, virulence, and degree of soft-tissue involvement. The change in clinical manifestations and management over the past 2 decades should be reflected in the current imaging approach to the disease. Imaging of infection must depict the location of a single focus or of multiple foci of involvement and the presence of drainable collections. This review provides an overview of the imaging implications directed by the changing epidemiology, the newer insights of anatomy and pathophysiology, the imaging characteristics with emphasis on specific locations and disease complications, and the differential diagnosis considerations. In addition, basic imaging guidelines for appropriate extent of area to image based on patient age are provided. © RSNA, 2017.