A 36-year-old female asked:
i am recently diagnosis with acute osteomyelitis accrdg to bone biopsy result but no bacteria found, mri and indium scan was done may but negative?
3 doctor answers

Dr. Atif Haque answered
18 years experience Neurosurgery
nondiagnostic biopsy: Some cases of osteomyelitis do not have causative bacteria isolated. This can be due sometimes to timing of antibiotics prior to getting a good biopsy. However, with the negative studies you mention, active osteomyelitis would probably be less likely. I would discuss with an infectious disease specialist.
Answered on Nov 28, 2017

Dr. Gerald Mandell answered
52 years experience Nuclear Medicine
Suprising: Sometimes organisms are not localized in osteomyelitis because of partial treatment with antibiotics.Another reason is osteomyelitis is actually subacute and not actually acute.Patients with chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis(CRMO)can get osteomyelitis in multiple sites with no bacteria that is autoimmune process.Surprising that MRI is normal. Indium is usually positive with no bacteria
Answered on Sep 29, 2016

Dr. Darrell Latva answered
42 years experience Podiatry
MY PROTOCOL: I personally do x-ray, if negative MRI, if negative, Ceretec scan. May consider repeat bone biopsy/culture, being off antibiotics at the time. If everything remains negative, consider other things besides osteo.
Dr. Latva
Answered on May 19, 2016
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