title: Osteoarthritis: current role of imaging.
abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent joint disease; it is increasingly common in the aging population of Western society and has a major health economic impact. Despite surgery and symptom-oriented approaches there is no efficient treatment. Conventional radiography has played a role in the past in confirming diagnosis and demonstrating late bony changes and joint space narrowing. MRI has become the method of choice in large research endeavors and may become important for individualized treatment planning. This article focuses on radiography and MRI, with insight into other modalities, such as ultrasound, scintigraphy, and CT. Their role in OA diagnosis, follow-up, and research is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 820 Harrison Avenue, FGH Building, Third Floor, Boston, MA 02118, USA. guermazi@bu.edu
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guermazi
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Eckstein
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hellio Le Graverand-Gastineau
authors.forename: Philip G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Conaghan
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Burstein
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Keen
authors.forename: Frank W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Roemer
mesh_terms: D001175:Arthrography; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*