Osteomyelitis: A manifestation of sickle cell anemia

Osteomyelitis is an infectious stage of bones associated with distinct clinical microbiology. In sickle cell anemia, an early detection and diagnostic accuracy of osteomyelitis would establish an immediate treatment module for preventing bone destruction and deformity. This mini-review highlights the different diagnostic tools and courses of treatment involved in the accurate diagnosis of osteomyelitis. In approximately 50% of acute osteomyelitis cases, blood culture is considered as an essential tool for correct diagnosis of the infection [1]. The gold standard tools for the diagnosis include bone biopsy test with histopathological examination and tissue culture, (both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria culture). Another study showed the implementation of radioisotope imaging for detecting acute osteomyelitis. Among all the detection tools discussed MRI is considered as an efficient tool for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis in SCA patients. This mini-review aims at creating awareness about the wide range of symptoms and appearances for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment modules. Correspondence to: Dr. Salma M. AlDallal, Haematology Laboratory Specialist, Haematology Department, Amiri Hospital, Kuwait, Tel: +965-90981981; Fax: +965-22463790; E-mail: [email protected]