Radiologic Mimics of Osteomyelitis and Septic Arthritis: A Pictorial Essay

Figure 1

Osteomyelitis with an ulcer tract arising from a necrotic, infected pressure sore. Axial CT pelvis with intravenous contrast (a) of a 78-year-old bedbound female worked up for sepsis secondary to an infected pressure ulcer showed the ulcer extending to the coccyx in the left parasagittal region (arrow), with bone erosion (dotted line). The affected bone is hypointense on the axial T1 (b) and hyperintense on fluid-sensitive, PDFS (proton density with fat saturation, (c)) sequences. Sagittal T1FS postcontrast image (d) shows enhancement of the coccyx (arrow) and sacrococcygeal joint confirming the diagnosis. The adjacent deep subcutaneous region of nonenhancement is compatible with the area of necrosis (dotted arrow).

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