Investigation of polyarthritis (summary)
This is a basic article for medical students and other non-radiologists
Polyarthritis (arthritis affecting several joints) is common, especially in older patients. Symptoms may range from mild pain and restriction to severe, debilitating disease with mutilated joints.
On this page:
Assessment
Arthritis may be broadly split into degenerative and inflammatory types. The distinction between the two is often possible by taking a detailed history and examining the joints.
Investigations
Further investigation of polyarthritis aims to confirm the diagnosis and assess severity. In both degenerative and inflammatory disease, x-rays are helpful to assess the involvement of the joint surfaces and the condition of the adjacent bones.
Radiological assessment in chronic joint disease and specifically in polyarthritis often employs x-rays of both sides to allow for comparison.
Degenerative polyarthritis
Degenerative polyarthritis (osteoarthritis) most commonly affects the weight-bearing joints and are commonly seen on pelvic x-rays and AP x-rays of the knees. Common findings include joint space reduction, joint surface sclerosis and irregularity.
Inflammatory polyarthritis
Inflammatory polyarthritis is a broad group of diseases that includes rheumatoid arthritis. Is much less common in the weight-bearing joints and is much more commonly seen in the hands and feet. Inflammatory arthritis also results in joint space reduction but may cause erosions around the joint which is a feature of disease that will trigger escalation of treatment.
Common pathology
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- psoriatic arthropathy
Related Radiopaedia articles
Medical student radiology curriculum
- radiology for students
-
neuroradiology
- imaging
- key findings
- conditions
- presentations
- cardiac radiology
-
chest radiology
- imaging
- key findings
- conditions
- presentations
-
abdominal radiology
- imaging
- key findings
- conditions
- upper GI
- lower GI
- hepatopancreatobiliary
- genitourinary
- vascular
- breast
- presentations
-
musculoskeletal radiology
- imaging
- key findings
- interpretation
- conditions
- upper limb
- lower limb
- pelvic fractures
- proximal femoral fractures
- distal fibula fracture
- 5th metatarsal fracture
- pediatrics
- spine
- major trauma
- joint pain/arthritis
- presentations
- upper limb
- lower limb
- hip trauma
- lower limb injury
- foot and ankle injury
- joint pain/arthritis
-
obstetrics and gynecology imaging
- imaging
- pelvic US - transabdominal
- pelvic US - transvaginal
- hysterosalpingogram
- CT abdomen
- MRI pelvis
- key findings
- endometrial thickening
- ovarian cysts
- conditions
- non-obstetric
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- tubo-ovarian abscess
- ovarian torsion
- ovarian neoplasms
- endometriosis
- endometrial hyperplasia
- endometrial carcinoma
- cervical cancer
- obstetric
- normal pregnancy
- abnormal first trimester
- ectopic pregnancy
- heterotopic pregnancy
- twins
- non-obstetric
- presentations
- PV bleeding
- pelvic pain
- PV discharge
- early pregnancy
- imaging
-
pediatric radiology
- imaging
- key findings
- conditions
- presentations