Radiographic assessment of hip and knee osteoarthritis. Recommendations: recommended guidelines.

Pathological lesions of osteoarthritis, demonstrated by conventional radiography, can be assessed by scoring systems and/or measurement with a quite acceptable reproducibility. Scores are recommended for a rough staging of osteoarthritis and of bone changes. Measurement is recommended for assessment of joint space narrowing progression. A good assessment of progression implicates a perfect reproducibility of the radiographic image of the joint. Accuracy of standard radiograph is improved by some views such as the hip profile and the schuss view. Copyright 1999 OsteoArthritis Research Society International.