title: Subacute osteomyelitis masquerading as primary bone sarcoma: report of six cases.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Monash University Sunway Campus, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Amreeta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dhanoa
authors.forename: Vivek Ajit
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents