Ultrasound in advanced pediatric osteomyelitis : a report of 5 cases

The use and reporting of ultrasound for the evaluation of pediatric osteomyelitis is minimal. However, ultrasound is noninvasive and does not employ ionizing radiation, and it is less expensive than other methods available. Consequently, its application, if contributory, would be desirable in evaluating pediatric osteomyelitis. We examined five patients ranging from 2-weeks to ten-years-old with ultrasound after bony abnormalities were found on plain film. In all cases ultrasound was valuable in assessing the type and location of abnormality (4 cases of osteomyelitis, 1 case of discitis), but unhelpful in determining the age of disease.