ABSTRACT
The authors describe a systematic approach to plain-film diagnosis of joint disease. The major radiologic criteria--soft-tissue swelling, joint-space narrowing, bone erosion, bone sclerosis and osteophytosis, and chondrocalcinosis--are considered first. Assessing the involvement of the minor criteria of joint disease--soft-tissue atrophy or calcification, malalignment, osteoporosis, abnormal growth, intra-articular bony ankylosis, bone fragmentation, periostitis, subperiosteal resorption or acro-osteolysis--narrows the probabilities to the more likely diagnoses. Further analysis includes the distribution of joint injury, whether mono- or polyarticular, symmetrical or asymmetrical. Added to clinical information, this approach leads to a specific or refined differential diagnosis.
Subject(s)
Joint Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Cartilage, Articular/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Methods , Radiography , Synovial Membrane/diagnostic imagingABSTRACT
Employment status, number of children living at home with the subject and parental alcohol use had the strongest relationship with the length of time from first intoxication to loss of control over drinking in 50 women alcoholics.
