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Histopathologic Changes

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Cranial Osteomyelitis

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Abstract

Histopathologic examination plays an important role for confirming the diagnosis of osteomyelitis if clinical findings, biological studies and diagnostic imaging investigations are not conclusive. It is also an important tool for identifying some “specific” osteomyelitis such as mycobacteria, fungi and parasites. However, histopathology of cranial osteomyelitis should always be interpreted in combination with clinical, biological and radiological findings and should not be used independently. Moreover, pathology has also been regarded as valuable in excluding other diseases of the cranial bone (differential diagnoses). Acute osteomyelitis is characterized by an inflammatory exudate composed of fibrin, polymorphonuclear leucocytes, and macrophages. Acute osteomyelitis becomes “secondary chronic” after a variable duration of 1–2 months. Chronic osteomyelitis is characterized by irregular fragments of devitalized bone surrounded by dense fibrous tissue (bone sequester) heavily infiltrated by plasma cells, lymphocytes, and only a few granulocytes. This chapter reviews the different histopathologic changes found in cranial osteomyelitis with particular attention to those occurring by specific pathogens.

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Abbreviations

H&E:

Hematoxylin and eosin

PAS:

Periodic Acid-Schiff

PCR:

Polymerase chain reaction

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery Avicenne Military Hospital of Marrakech, University of Mohammed V in Rabat, Marrakech, Morocco

    Ali Akhaddar

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Akhaddar, A. (2016). Histopathologic Changes. In: Cranial Osteomyelitis. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30268-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30268-3_4

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