False-colour x-ray of the pelvis & upper legs of a person suffering from severe osteoarthritis of the right hip (left of image). Osteoarthritis is an

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False-colour x-ray of the pelvis & upper legs of a person suffering from severe osteoarthritis of the right hip (left of image). Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory disease of joint cartilage, associated with secondary changes in underlying bone. It causes pain & impaired function of the joint. The disease is most common in elderly persons. The damage to the hip joint is evident in the uneven appearance of the ball-&-socket joint (compare with the smoother appearance of the left hip joint on the right of the image). Initial treatment involves use of analgesics & dieting to reduce pressure on the joint; more advanced cases may require a prosthetic (artificial) hip joint.

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Size: 3543px × 2529px
Photo credit: © ALAIN POL, ISM/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: arthritic, arthritis, condition, disease, disorder, false-coloured, healthcare, hip, joint, medical, medicine, osteo, osteoarthritis, xray