Medical Imaging in Differentiating the Diabetic Charcot Foot from Osteomyelitis

Abstract

Diabetic Charcot neuroarthropathy (DCN) poses a great challenge to diagnose in the early stages and when plain radiographs do not depict any initial signs of osseous fragmentation or dislocation in a setting of a high clinical index of suspicion. Medical imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and advanced bone scintigraphy, has its own unique clinical indications when treating the DCN with or without concomitant osteomyelitis. This article reviews different clinical case scenarios for choosing the most accurate medical imaging in differentiating DCN from osteomyelitis.

Keywords: Bone scan; Charcot neuroarthropathy; Computed tomography; Diabetic Charcot foot; Diabetic neuropathy; MRI; Medical imaging; Osteomyelitis.