A high prevalence of Cutibacterium acnes infections in scoliosis revision surgery, a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma.

Purpose: To investigate if serum inflammatory markers or nuclear imaging can accurately diagnose a chronic spinal instrumentation infection (SII) prior to surgery.

Methods: All patients who underwent revision of spinal instrumentation after a scoliosis correction between 2017 and 2019, were retrospectively evaluated. The diagnostic accuracy of serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) and Technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) 3-phase bone scintigraphy (TPBS) to diagnose infection were studied.