Take Home Points

Osteomyelitis is an infection in any part of a bone. It has a varied presentation including acute and chronic forms. Patients can present septic, or rather well appearing.

Patients may present with fever, chills, musculoskeletal pain, erythema, swelling or drainage from an ulcer.

Lab evaluation includes WBC, ESR and CRP, which we expect to be elevated in acute osteo, but less so in chronic.

MRI is the best imaging modality, but XR and CT may have some findings that suggest osteo.