The probe-to-bone (PTB) test is a commonly used clinical test for osteomyelitis (OM), but its utility has been questioned in clinical
settings where the prevalence of OM is low. This article aims to systematically review the accuracy of the PTB test to diagnose diabetic
foot OM. We searched Ovid Medline and Scopus databases for studies using the keywords “probe to bone,” “osteomyelitis,” and
“diabetic foot” from 1946 to May 2015. We summarized characteristics of the included studies and pooled the accuracy numbers
using a bivariate random-effects model. Seven studies met our inclusion criteria. Pooled sensitivity and specificity for the PTB test
was 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], .75–.93) and 0.83 (95% CI, .65–.93), respectively. We conclude that the PTB test can accurately
rule in diabetic foot OM in the high-risk patients and rule out OM in low-risk patients.
Keywords. osteomyelitis; probe to bone; diabetic foot; meta-analysis; accuracy