Which radiographic feature is more characteristic of osteoarthritis than rheumatoid arthritis?

Which radiographic feature is more characteristic of osteoarthritis than rheumatoid arthritis?

• A. Erosions in joints
• B. Osteophyte formation
• C. Symmetric joint space narrowing
• D. Extra-articular bone formation

Answer: (B)

Osteoarthritis tends to cause the bone to respond to cartilage loss with bone formation at the joint margins, producing osteophytes (bone spurs). These marginal bony outgrowths are a classic radiographic sign of OA. In contrast, rheumatoid arthritis shows inflammatory damage with marginal erosions and more symmetric joint involvement, rather than osteophyte formation. So the presence of osteophyte formation on x-ray best points to OA over RA.

Osteoarthritis tends to cause the bone to respond to cartilage loss with bone formation at the joint margins, producing osteophytes (bone spurs). These marginal bony outgrowths are a classic radiographic sign of OA. In contrast, rheumatoid arthritis shows inflammatory damage with marginal erosions and more symmetric joint involvement, rather than osteophyte formation. So the presence of osteophyte formation on x-ray best points to OA over RA.