Septic arthritis.

Chapter 87 reviews septic arthritis. Septic arthritis, a condition wherein joint infection leads to arthritis, is diagnosed based on a multifactorial combined approach including clinical, imaging, and laboratory assessment. Larger joints are more often involved, with the knee most commonly affected in adults and the hip most at risk in children. Rapid and accurate diagnosis is of extreme importance as any delay in diagnosis may irreversibly damage the affected joint. The presenting symptoms and clinical signs may be misleading. Hence, the radiologist should be aware of the imaging appearances and be able to effectively perform imaging-guided arthrocentesis. Knowledge of medical and surgical management is imperative to clinicians and radiologists alike.