Postoperative infection.

Infectious disease complicating surgery involving the musculoskeletal system is one of the most important causes of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Timely detection and accurate localization of infectious processes have important clinical implications and are critical to appropriate patient management. Imaging studies can play an important role in the detection of infection and can help guide appropriate clinical management. The diagnosis of postoperative infection can be made by a variety of imaging modalities. This article reviews the various methods and modalities available for the detection of postoperative infection.