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How Is Osteoarthritis Diagnosed, And Are Any Tests Used In The Process?

Paula Rackoff, M.D., Assistant Chief, Division of Rheumatology, Beth Israel Medical Center
August 15, 2008

Question: How is osteoarthritis diagnosed, and are any tests used in the process?

Answer: Osteoarthritis is really what we call a clinical diagnosis. It's really done by physical exam and by history. There are no blood tests to diagnose osteoarthritis. There are x-rays -- x-rays can confirm the diagnosis of osteoarthritis, and those can often be very helpful. But it's really by clinical exam, history, but not by blood tests.

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Next: Can Arthroscopic Surgery Be Used To Diagnose Osteoarthritis Or Determine The Amount Of Damage That's There?

Previous: What Are Common Symptoms Of Osteoarthritis?

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