[Computed tomography in the comprehensive radiologic diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis of the lower extremities and pelvis].

The role of computed tomography in multimodality radiation diagnosis was assessed in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis of the lower extremity and pelvis in 218 patients (128 with posttraumatic osteomyelitis, 46 with hematogenic osteomyelitis of long bones, and 19 with chronic pelvic osteomyelitis) aged 16-78 years. Computed tomography was used to specify the symptomatology of chronic osteomyelitis, to define indications for radical surgical treatment. The soft tissues of the shin were studied in patients with chronic osteomyelitis versus lymphedema in 103 patients, post-thrombophlebitic syndrome in 17, acute wound infection in 9. The symptomatology of osseous regenerate in distraction osteosynthesis was studied (120 computed tomograms). It has been indicated that computed tomography is effective in studying the chronic osteomyelitis-inflicted extremity and pelvis in the pre- and postoperative periods.