Radiologic Findings
The diagnosis of septic arthritis is based on clinical assessment and prompt arthrocentesis. Imaging can sometimes be used to aid in the diagnosis of septic arthritis.
Native X-ray of the joint is neither sensitive nor specific. Ultrasound can detect joint-swelling. MRI findings include: synovial enhancement, perisynovial edema and joint effusion. Signal abnormalities in the bone marrow can indicate a concomitant osteomyelitis. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI for the detection of septic arthritis has been reported to be 67% and 98% respectively.
Read more about this topic: Septic Arthritis
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