Subacute osteomyelitis masquerading as primary bone sarcoma: report of six cases.
BACKGROUND
We report a series of six immunocompetent patients who were believed initially to have primary bone sarcomas, but turned out to have subacute osteomyelitis.


METHODS
Case report and review of relevant literature.


RESULTS
All our patients were treated with antibiotics and recovered fully from the infection. Only one patient had a recurrence with the same offending microorganism, which resolved after a longer period of intravenous antibiotic.


CONCLUSIONS
Subacute osteomyelitis and bone tumors can be similar in presentation, and the key to proper diagnosis is histopathological and microbiological confirmation in biopsy specimens.
Dhanoa
Amreeta
A
Monash University Sunway Campus, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Singh
Vivek Ajit
VA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D012516:Osteosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents