Imaging pediatric musculoskeletal infection

Imaging of musculoskeletal infections in children often differs from that of adults because of several factors, including inability to localize disease, potential need for sedation, and transphyseal spread of infection in infants. In addition, the rise of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has increased the use of advanced imaging techniques because of its association with increased complication rates. We present the different types of imaging modalities with their respective advantages and disadvantages and also the imaging findings unique to pediatric patients.