Osteomyelitis of the Odontoid Process in Children: Two Cases and Review of the Literature.
To report clinical, laboratory and radiologic manifestations in 2 infants with osteomyelitis of the odontoid process (dens).



Vertebral osteomyelitis is uncommon, and osteomyelitis of the dens has rarely been reported in the pediatric population.



The medical records of 2 infants diagnosed with dens osteomyelitis were reviewed.



Both infants had fever, which resolved spontaneously before admission. Both were nontoxic appearing with persistent neck stiffness and torticollis. White blood count and C-reactive protein were only mildly elevated in both cases. Blood cultures were sterile. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed the diagnosis. They both fully recovered.



We report 2 cases of dens osteomyelitis. These cases emphasize the need to consider C1-C2 osteomyelitis in the differential diagnosis of neck stiffness and torticollis.
From the *Department of pediatrics, and †Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Shaare Zedek Medical Center affiliated with Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel; ‡Clalit Health Services, Jerusalem, Israel; and §Infectious Diseases Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center affiliated with Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Asael
A
Lubotzky
Ruth
R
Cytter-Kuint
Eliyahu
E
Raccah
Orli
O
Megged
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents