[Differential diagnosis of childhood osteomyelitis--classification according to scintigraphic, radiologic and magnetic resonance tomographic characteristics].

We present a retrospective study on children with the final diagnosis osteomyelitis, who have been examined in Tübingen from 1985 to 1991. The different types of infantile osteomyelitis were classified due to the causative organism and findings in 3-phase scintigraphy and X-ray films. For the chronic type of osteomyelitis the study was extended to the years from 1979 to 1991 and the results of an earlier report were included. We worked up 17 cases of acute/peracute osteomyelitis, including 5 cases of early infancy, 2 cases of tuberculosis, 2 Brodie's abscesses, 5 plasmacellular types, 2 cases of primary chronic multifocal osteomyelitis (PCMO), and 5 cases of unspecific chronic osteomyelitis. All cases were examined with scintigraphy, X-ray films and in part with magnetic resonance tomographic imaging. In 23 cases scintigrams and X-ray films were performed in the follow-up. We show the importance of scintigraphy for the early detection and localisation of osteomyelitis, the importance of findings on X-ray films for the specific diagnosis of osteomyelitis, and the importance of magnetic resonance tomography for high-resolution detection of the expansion of osteomyelitis.