Radiology of the diabetic foot

The diabetic patient suffers through a host of foot ailments, not the least of which can be a severe degeneration of bony architecture. The longer these patients live with their disease, the more likely that complications can develop into their full form, sometimes with devastating effects. Neurologic and vascular disease combine to produce bony changes that can be easily recognized on routine radiographs. Early recognition of these changes and prompt treatment may decrease skeletal destruction and structural deformity.