Osteoarthritis of the knee, X-ray

Credit: DR P. MARAZZI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Caption: Osteoarthritis of the knee. Front view X-ray of the knee of a 70 year old man showing signs of osteoarthritis. The spaces between the bones are far smaller than is normal, and the bones will rub together as the joint moves. This causes stiffness and pain. Osteoarthritis is a common disorder in the elderly, caused by wear and tear thinning the cartilage lining of the joints, exposing the bone beneath. The femur (thigh bone) is at top, and it articulates with the tibia (shin bone) at bottom. The thinner lower leg bone seen behind the tibia at right is the fibula. This joint is seen from the side in image M110/609. For the joint after a knee replacment, see images M600/292 (front view) and M600/293 (side view).

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Keywords: 70, adult, arthritic, black-and-white, bone, bones, condition, disease, disorder, elderly, femur, fibula, front view, healthcare, human body, joint, knee, kneecap, male, man, medical, medicine, monochrome, old, osteoarthritis, patella, radiography, shin bone, thigh bone, tibia, x-ray, x-ray machine, xray

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