[Xeroradiography in the study of the "diabetic foot"]

42 patients, 25 males and 17 females, affected by diabetic osteoarthropathy of the foot were examined by the authors by means of xeroradiography. The radiographic findings, already reported in literature, as Charcot's joint and mutilating osteopathy, are better shown by xeroradiography, which allows to appreciate soft tissues, joints and vessels pathologic conditions much better than plain films. Moreover, the edge contrast enhancement and great contrast scale of xeroradiography allow to reproduce in a single image all the structures of the foot, as tarsal metatarsal and falangeal bones (especially in dorso-plantar projection) with optimal reproduction of single foot components and their skeletal structure.