Subacute osteomyelitis of long bones: diagnostic usefulness of the "penumbra sign" on MRI.

Although subacute osteomyelitis of long bones is not uncommon, it is usually confined to metaphysis. Two unusual cases of subacute osteomyelitis that traversed a growth plate are described. There may be some radiological difficulties in distinguishing it from other malignant or benign lesions. On magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, both of the present cases showed characteristic four-layered appearance and the penumbra sign. These characteristic findings on MR imaging are considered to facilitate establishing the radiologic diagnosis.