CRP and osteomyelitis: As with any pathology, the same stepwise process is used, including clinical exam, laboratory test including complete blood count with differential (CBC with diff), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), bone biopsy for histopathology and microbiology, imaging including x-ray, nuclear studies such as three-phase bone scan, WBC tagged studies (e.g. hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime, or HMPAO) in which focal uptake is consistent with osteomyelitis and diffuse uptake with cellulitis, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (8).