In seven children who had chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis,
the radiographic and histological findings were consistent with those of
osteomyelitis, but the results of cultures were negative. We studied the
clinical, radiographic, histological, and microbiological findings in these
patients, who had a total of thirty-nine lesions. The lesions occurred most
frequently in the spine, tibia, and femur; three patients had vertebra
plana. The natural history of chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis
appears to be slow, spontaneous resolution of the osseous lesions without
specific treatment. The diagnosis is one of exclusion. Biopsy is
recommended, and results of cultures must be negative before therapy with
antibiotics can be withheld.