• Whilst the osteophytes on this close-up picture might not be as florrid as can be seen on other pictures, this represents severe end-stage OA
  • There is no distinct femoral neck - this is probably the result of coalescence of ostoephytes over a long period leading to remodelling of bone.
  • Of particular interest is the lack of a joint "space". The joint space in a normal joint radiograph is, in fact, articular cartilage so we can infer from this picture that the coxo-femoral articular cartilage has eroded completely. There is, in effect, bone on bone weight bearing - inefficient and painful.
  • This radiograph is included to emphasise the poor correlation between florrid osteophytosis and clinical severity.