CT detection of intraosseous gas: a new sign of osteomyelitis.

In three patients the diagnosis of osteomyelitis was made when computed tomography (CT) demonstrated gas within the medullary cavity of the involved bone. The diagnosis was clinically unsuspected in two of the patients before the CT examination, and none showed bone abnormalities on plain radiographs. Two patients had evidence of infection of the deep soft tissues adjacent to bone, and the third developed the lesion in an allograft. In all three patients CT detection of intraosseous gas resulted in significant alteration of patient management.