Musculoskeletal CT Appearances
Necrotizing Fasciitis CT Findings
- Soft tissue air with deep fascial fluid collection is classic but may not be present with early detection
- Soft tissue inflammation with fat stranding
- Intermuscular fluid accumulation
- Increased soft tissue opacity, thickness and attenuation
Other Information About Necrotizing Fasciitis
Etiology:
- Caused by bacteria that enters the body through a cut, bite, abrasion, etc
Epidemiology:
- Very rare
- More commonly affects patients with weakened immune systems
Presentation:
- Severe pain
- Skin discoloration
- Bruise or palpable mass that grows quickly
- Fever
- Nausea
Prognosis:
- Can be managed with surgery but prognosis is not good
- Mortality rate is about 33% even after treatment and has been reported up to 80%