- 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