Arthritis is typically diagnosed on x-rays. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is related to wear-and-tear processes, genetics, injuries, and it is a normal part of the aging process. An arthritis joint will demonstrate narrowing of the space between the bones as the cartilage thins, bone spurs on the edges of the joint, small cysts within the bone, and sometimes deformity of the joint, causing it to look crooked. See the x-ray for common findings in osteoarthritis of the hand. The joints closest to the fingertip and the joint at the base of the thumb are the most common joints in the hand affected by osteoarthritis.
X-ray findings in OA of hand:
- joint space narrowing
- bone spurs or “osteophytes”
- angular deformity or crooked finger
- subchondral cysts
- joint sclerosis