What has modern imaging technology revealed about osteoarthritis?

• A. It is purely degenerative
• B. It is an autoimmune disease
• C. Inflammation is an important feature
• D. It is caused by infection

Answer: (C)

Imaging studies show that osteoarthritis involves more than just cartilage wear; it reveals active inflammation in the joint. MRI and ultrasound can detect synovitis, joint effusions, and increased vascularity of the synovium, along with bone marrow lesions beneath the cartilage. These inflammatory changes help explain why pain and progression can occur and why OA is not merely a degenerative process. It isn’t driven primarily by autoimmune mechanisms like rheumatoid arthritis, nor is it driven by infection; those patterns differ in imaging and clinical presentation. So the important takeaway from modern imaging is that inflammation is a meaningful feature of osteoarthritis.