ABSTRACT

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of joint pain. Direct Radiography is the most frequently used method for diagnosis, as well as evaluate of its progression. It is both inexpensive and readily available. Semiquantitative grading systems and quantitative measurement methods allow for more precise assessment of the progression of disease, however there still exists validation problem in the available scoring systems. There are often large intra-and inter observer variability, necessitating larger studies to detect meaningfull change in joint space width. Despite the wide spread use of ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging, quantitative measurement of joint space width remains to be the only acceptable methodology by medical authorities in the process of accepting a product as disease modifying.