Septic Arthritis of the Hip in Children Showing Signal Intensity Changes at Pelvic Bone on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Case Report

Abstract

A 10-year-old girl was referred to our hospital with high fever and pain in the left hip. Staphylococcus aureus was detected from joint fluid. On the first day, we performed operation under arthroscopy. Irrigation and drainage followed by intravenous antibiotics reduced her symptoms. However, on the 21st day after surgery, she complained of pain in the left hip again and had tenderness of the pubis. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed high intensity changes at the pubis and ilium. Her symptoms diminished after reoperation. In cases with intensity changes at the pelvic bone on MRI, septic arthritis of the hip might be caused by osteomyelitis of the pelvic bone.