Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Vertebral osteomyelitis laboratory findings
Introduction
Laboratory Findings
Laboratory Findings
- Diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis is often complicated due to the delay between the onset of the disease and the initial display of symptoms.
- Before pursuing radiological methods of testing, physicians often order a full blood test to see how the patient’s levels compare to normal blood levels in a healthy body.
- In a complete blood test, the C-reactive protein (CRP) is an indicator of infection levels, the complete blood count (CBC) evaluates the presence of white and red blood cells, and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) tests for inflammation in the body.
- Anomalous values that lie outside the acceptable ranges in any of these subcategories confirm the presence of infection in the body and indicate that further diagnostic measures are necessary.
- Blood tests may prove inconclusive and may not serve as enough evidence to confirm the presence of vertebral osteomyelitis.
References
References
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]