Utility of 99mTc-labelled antimicrobial peptide ubiquicidin (29-41) in the diagnosis of diabetic foot infection

Purpose Detection of osteomyelitis beneath a diabetic foot ulcer is imperative for proper management; however, accurate and noninvasive diagnosis of osteomyelitis remains a challenge. Ubiquicidin 29-41 (UBI 29-41) is a synthetic antimicrobial peptide fragment reported to be highly infection-specific. 99mTc-UBI 29-41 has recently been reported to be a promising radiotracer for infection imaging. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the utility of 99mTc-UBI 29-41 scintigraphy in diabetic patients with suspected osteomyelitis of the foot.