In-111 white blood cell sensitivity depends on the location of the osteomyelitis

The authors studied 76 patients with osteomyelitis and found a sensitivity of 95% in scute appendicular osteomyelitis (16 patients), 91% in chronic appendicular osteomyelitis (43 patients), 100% in acute axial osteomyelitis (three patients), and 57% in chronic axial osteomyelitis (14 patients). Thus, chronic osteomyelitis in the axials skeleton had significantly reduced sensitivity. This difference is due both to the different cellular response to acute and chronic osteomyelitis and to the location of the osteomyelitis. The appendicular skeleton contains no active bone marrow in the adult. The axial skeleton contains active bone marrow, which accumulates In-111 white blood cells, making the localization of the osteomyelitis more difficult