Radiographic Aspects of Rheumatoid Arthritis

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- Diagnosis:
    - early changes are limited to the soft tissues w/ fusiform swelling and joint effusion;
    - juxta-articular osteoporosis may become more generalized w/ dz progression;
    - cartilage destruction produces narrowing of the joint;
    - erosion of bone occurs characteristically in the metaphyseal region
          underlying collateral ligament attachments;
    - mal-alignment, displacement, and ankylosis of the joint mark end-stage
          rheumatoid disease;