Dataset_VECTOR-PJI_flow-cytometry_2026-04-10

This dataset contains anonymized data from an exploratory pilot study investigating the feasibility of using flow cytometric bacterial cell counts in synovial fluid for the detection of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in patients undergoing revision arthroplasty.
Accurate intraoperative differentiation between PJI and aseptic failure remains a clinical challenge due to the lack of rapid and reliable diagnostic tools. This study evaluates whether bacterial quantification using flow cytometry may serve as a useful adjunct diagnostic method.
Synovial fluid samples were collected intraoperatively from patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) across three hospitals in the Netherlands. Flow cytometric analysis was performed using the Sysmex UF-4000 system to quantify bacterial cell counts. Infection status was retrospectively classified according to the criteria of the European Bone and Joint Infection Society (EBJIS).
The dataset includes:
Patient-level anonymized identifiersDemographic and clinical variables (where available)Type of arthroplasty (THA/TKA)Flow cytometric bacterial counts (cells/µL)Infection classification (PJI vs. aseptic failure based on EBJIS criteria)Indicators for exclusions (e.g., dry tap, technical failure)After exclusions (including dry taps and technical issues), data from 43 patients were available for analysis, of whom 16 were classified as having PJI. The dataset enables comparison of bacterial counts between infected and non-infected cases and supports exploratory analyses of diagnostic performance.
Notes and limitations:
This dataset originates from a pilot study with a limited sample size and is not powered to establish definitive diagnostic accuracy. The results should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating. Additionally, the added value of flow cytometric bacterial counts relative to established markers (e.g., total leukocyte count and PMN%) remains to be determined.