title: How to interpret plain radiographs in clinical practice.
abstract: In this article I will consider the basic principles of requesting, acquiring, interpreting and reporting plain radiographs of joints, including assessment of the distribution of joint abnormalities, and specific pathological changes that may occur in bone, cartilage and soft tissues. I will then move on to a more specific discussion of the major arthropathies and the role of radiographs in the diagnosis and assessment in each condition as well as reviewing the combined abnormalities that may be visible on radiographs and how these relate to underlying pathological processes.
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer in Medical Education & Rheumatology, Hull York Medical School, University of York, United Kingdom. andrew.brown@hyms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D015535:Arthritis, Psoriatic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006073:Gout / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography / Q000379:methods*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014962:X-Ray Film