Bone scan (99mTc-MDP) | Active bone formation | PBI* | 6 h | 500–1,110 | Sensitive | Low specificity |
| | SOM | | | Low cost | Susceptible to confounders (surgery, trauma) |
| | Late PJI | | | Accessible | |
| | Septic arthritis | | | Good spatial resolution | |
| | Necrotizing external otitis | | | Low radiation dose | |
WBC scan (99mTc-WBC) | Leukocytes | PBI† (violated bone) | 6 h | 185–370 | Sensitive, especially for neutrophilic induced inflammation | Depends on host immune system; sensitivity decreases after antibiotic treatment |
| | Diabetic foot | | | | Blood exposure |
| | Early PJI | | | | Requires sterility |
| | Infective endocarditis | | | | Time consuming |
| | Vascular graft infection | | | | Poor resolution |
| | FUO | | | | High radiation dose |
67Ga-citrate | Transferrin | SOM | 78.3 h | 150–220 | Suitable for immunodeficiency | Delayed imaging |
| Bacterial siderophores | Opportunistic infections | | | | Poor resolution |
| Neutrophilic lactoferrin | FUO | | | | High radiation dose |
| | Necrotizing external otitis | | | | Expensive |
| | | | | | Requires cyclotron |
18F-FDG PET | Energy consumption | PBI* | 110 min | 185–740 | Sensitive | Depends on host immune system |
| | SOM | | | Suitable for acute and chronic inflammation | Expensive |
| | Infective endocarditis | | | High resolution | Lacks widespread availability |
| | Vascular graft infection | | | Relatively short scan | Susceptible to confounders (e.g., surgery) |
| | FUO | | | SUV quantification | Requires patient preparation |
| | | | | | High radiation dose |