Stages and roentgenological picture of diabetic osteoarthropathy

The course and roentgenographic signs of diabetic osteoarthropathy are discribed on the basis of literary data and of 23 cases of the author. Three stages are distinguished: in stage I dislocation, circumscribed porosis and cortical defect are observed. The characteristic sign of stage II is osteolysis, accompained by fragmentation, fracture, periosteal reaction. In stage III the healing takes place according to five radiologically distinguishable patterns. The good healing tendency is typical. Regarding the differential diagnosis of the disease, the possibility of inflammatory and tumourous changes and neurothropic osteoarthropathies of other origin must be considered.