Roentgen of the knee joint

Knee joints are one of the most difficult joints in the body, because, in addition to the articular surfaces, they also have menisci - intra-articular "pads". Therefore, they are more exposed to negative factors and quite often suffer from a variety of diseases.

X-ray of the knee joint

What a pathological condition struck the knee joint, shows only the X-ray. The standard method of such a visualized diagnosis is the procedure, during which the X-ray beam is passed through the knee. This creates a two-dimensional image on the film. It shows parts of the bones of the knee joint and even part of the femur, part of the tibia and tibia, soft tissues and the knee cap.

For more accurate diagnosis, the x-ray of the knee joint can be performed by another method, in which the radiography apparatus rotates around the patient. Such a process is called computed tomography. It is best to conduct it when the patient is standing, on three sides: sideways, front and when the knee is bent. But each leg section has its own functional features, therefore, to make good shots of the x-ray of the knee, positions and styling are selected individually.

What does the x-ray of the knee joint show?

The x-ray of a healthy knee joint is undesirable, since the effective dose of irradiation during this procedure is comparable to the amount of natural irradiation per day. But in some cases the knee can not do without pictures. So, in just a few minutes X-ray will show:

  1. The presence of changes in soft tissues - the pictures will clearly show swelling or fluid in the knee joint, you can see the state of soft tissues and cartilage.
  2. Bone quality - x-ray does not show bone density, but with its help it is easy to see the architecture and structure of bones, that is, it is possible to diagnose, for example, bone thinning ( osteoporosis ).
  3. Early signs of arthritis - a snapshot of the x-ray of the knee joint will show even bone spurs and the presence of joint cracks.
  4. Placement of bones in the joint - in the picture, even a slight displacement of bones will be seen.
  5. Damage to the bones - not all fractures will be visible, but most of them and even the impressions are easily seen on the x-ray.

X-rays can not be made pregnant, and people suffering from obesity can get blurry shots due to excessive muscle and fat mass. Nevertheless, the X-ray of the knee joints is an inexpensive and effective method that helps in the diagnosis of arthrosis and other serious diseases to reveal the details of the course of the disease.