Abstract
Definite and classical rheumatoid arthritis from II to IV stage in our clinic in 1977 were examined by roentgenography.
Objects were 57 cases, male 6 and female 51, ranged from 21 to 67 years of age, and 110 knees were studied by roentgenography. We observed several roentgenological changes and obtained the following results :
1) In terms of the relationship between the history and the narrowing of joint space, it was clearly demonstrated that joint space narrows with time.
In R. A. cases with the history of less than 5 years, not the single case of remarkable narrowing was observed.
2) In terms of the relationship between the knee joint range of motion and the narrowing of the joint space, the joint space was normal in most cases which stretching was not limited, but none had normal joint space of cases in which limitation of 11 degree or more was recognized.
3) Bone atrophy was frequently recognized in the femoral condyle, tibial plateau, head of the fibula and medial facet of the patella.
Findings indicative of osteosclerosis and bone destruction were frequentry observed in the tibial plateau.
