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.