Diagnosis of Septic Arthritis
Prompt diagnosis of septic arthritis is necessary to prevent permanent damage to the joint.

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, clinical experts at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia use a variety of methods to diagnose septic arthritis:

Removing and culturing joint fluid to determine the type of bacteria causing the infection, how well your child’s body is fighting the infection, and the appropriate antibiotic to treat the infection.

Bacterial cultures can be obtained if there is concern an infection in another part of the body has spread to the joint.

Blood tests can determine if there is evidence of systemic inflammation.
X-rays visualize bones and surrounding tissues of an affected joint.
Ultrasounds can visualize extra fluid in a joint and can help guide a needle into a joint to obtain joint fluid.

Bone scans may be used to identify other sites of infection if the joint is not suspected to be the primary site of infection

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) produces detailed images of organs and structures within the body.