Radiological Assessment of an Experimental Model of Human Osteomyelitis in Rabbits

The purpose of this paper is to present a radiological assessment of the treatment performed on a model of human osteomyelitis induced in rabbits. In order to induce osteomyelitis in rabbits, a human strain of Staphylococcus aureus was injected in bone defects created in the rabbit tibia, a quantity of 0.2 ml being administered in each defect. We have created five groups of animals (positive control, negative control and treatment - 3 groups), the treatment groups receiving treatment in different phases of the disease (acute and chronic). The treatment consisted of copper and silver sub-millimeter-particles introduced in the same place with the Staphylococcus solution. Evaluation of installation and evolution of the disease was made by clinical, hematological, microbiological, radiological and histological monitoring. A separate study of radiological data is presented here. Radiological monitoring was done dynamically using a computerized radiology unit. Analyses were performed and scored individually and independently by three radiologists and specialists by evaluating the following parameters: periosteal relieves, bone architecture deformation, widening of bone shaft, neo-formation tissue and soft tissue deformation. The results of radiological evaluation show a mitigation of osteomyelitis as a result of the treatment and confirm that radiological analysis is a powerful tool in experimental models of this disease. The study was conducted in compliance with the welfare standards for animals used for scientific purposes.