Early radionuclide diagnosis of acute osteomyelitis.

Forty-two patients suspected of having early, acute osteomyelitis were studied by 99mTc-Sn-pyrophosphate bone imaging. Of the 19 patients shown subsequently to have osteomyelitis, 18 had positive bone images. Only one of the radiographs taken at the same time was positive. The bone image provides a safe, accurate, noninvasive technique for the early diagnosis of osteomyelitis.