Atlas of individual radiographic features in osteoarthritis

Last revised by Joachim Feger on 10 Dec 2021

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Feger J, Bell D, Atlas of individual radiographic features in osteoarthritis. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-81331

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-81331

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/81331

rID:

81331

Article created:

22 Aug 2020, Joachim Feger ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Joachim Feger had no recorded disclosures.

View Joachim Feger's current disclosures

Last revised:

10 Dec 2021, Joachim Feger ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Joachim Feger had no recorded disclosures.

View Joachim Feger's current disclosures

Revisions:

6 times, by 2 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Musculoskeletal

Tags:

ref, cases

Synonyms:

OARSI atlas

The atlas of individual radiographic features in osteoarthritis (OARSI atlas) are publications about radiographic features of osteoarthritis in different joints. They provide a grading scheme for those features illustrated by imaging examples ^1,2.

The original and revised version of the OARSI atlas was written by Altmann et al. in 1995 and 2007 and features imaging characteristics of osteoarthritis such as osteophytes, joint space narrowing and other radiographic features for the hand, hip and knee ^1,2.

Similar imaging findings were described and depicted in an atlas for foot joints written by Menz et al. in 2007 and for the ankle and hindfoot by Kraus et al. in 2015 ^3,4.

Radiographic features

Hand

The distal interphalangeal joints (DIP), proximal interphalangeal joints (PIP) as well as the first carpometacarpal joint (CMC) are evaluated and/or graded concerning the following radiographic features using imaging examples ²:

osteophyte formation (0-3)
joint space narrowing (0-3)
subluxation or malalignment
bone erosions
subchondral sclerosis
subchondral cysts

In addition, the scaphotrapeziotrapezoidal (STT) joint and the interphalangeal joint of the thumb are assessed for the presence or absence of osteophytes and joint space narrowing.

Hip

The following radiographic features are assessed and/or graded using imaging examples ²:

superior acetabular as well as superior and inferior femoral osteophytes (0-3)
superior and medial femoroacetabular joint space narrowing (0-3)

Additional radiographic features as the presence of an inferior acetabular osteophyte, subchondral cyst formation, femoral subchondral sclerosis, flattening of the femoral head and thickening of the medial femoral calcar are demonstrated with imaging examples.

Knee

Evaluation of the knee features the assessment and/or grading of the following ²:

medial and lateral femoral condyle as well as medial and lateral tibial plateau osteophytes (0-3)
medial and lateral compartment joint space narrowing (0-3)

Additional features are the presence of medial tibial attrition as well as medial tibial or femoral sclerosis.

Foot

The first metatarsophalangeal joint, the first and second cuneometatarsal joints the navicular-medial-cuneiform joint and the talonavicular joint are evaluated and graded on dorsoplantar and lateral foot radiographs concerning osteophyte formation (0-3) and joint space narrowing (0-3: none, definite, severe, joint fusion) ³.

Ankle

The tibiotalar, fibulotalar and subtalar joints are evaluated and graded on the ankle (mortise view) and ankle (lateral view) radiographs for the following ⁴:

medial and lateral tibial, medial and lateral talar as well as distal fibular osteophytes (0-3)
medial and superior tibiotalar and fibulotalar joint space narrowing (0-3)
anterior and posterior tibiotalar osteophytes (0-3)
anterior and posterior tibiotalar joint space narrowing (0-3)
posterior talar osteophytes of the subtalar joint (0-3)
subtalar joint space narrowing (0-3)

In addition, the finding of subchondral sclerosis is evaluated and illustrated ⁴.