MR imaging detection of early periostitis in acute experimental osteomyelitis

This paper reports on thirty cases of acute experimental Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis in New Zealand white rabbits imaged with MR imaging, unenhanced CT, and plain film radiography (PFR) 4 days following infection. Periostitis was histologically present in 26 cases. Periosteal reaction was demonstrated by PFR and CT in 20 (77%) of cases each. Periosteal new bone formation present histologically in 22 cases accounts for this finding. MR imaging depicted the ossification in the elevated periosteum in 19 cases. However, evidence of periostitis was demonstrated by MR imaging in all 26 cases (100%). The sensitivities of MR imaging, CT, and PFR were 100%, 77%, and 77%, respectively; the specificities, 85%, 100%, and 100%; and the accuracies, 95%, 85%, and 85%