Hybrid imaging with 99mTc‐WBC SPECT/CT to monitor the effect of therapy in diabetic foot osteomyelitis

This study sought to assess the utility of monitoring response to treatment of diabetic foot osteomyelitis (DFO) with Tc-99m WBC-labelled single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging. This is a retrospective cohort study of 20 patients with DFO with sequential Tc-99m WBC-labelled SPECT/CT imaging. Radiologic findings of osteomyelitis were evaluated and imaging results were correlated with clinical outcomes subtracted from chart review. Successful treatment of osteomyelitis was defined by wound healing and/or lack of re-admission for bone infection of the same site within 1 year. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of SPECT/CT to determine osteomyelitis treatment remission were 90%, 56%, 69% and 83%, respectively. Tc-99m WBC-labelled SPECT/CT imaging may be useful to help determine treatment outcomes for DFO.